They Finally Meet!
by ExPlOdInG dOnKeY cUrSe
Summary: the charecters finally meet. they will read the red pyramid together. they are there to understand eachother. but will more than that happen? my firist fic!PLEASE READ! im hopefuly better at wrighting than wrighting summuries.; GIVE IT A TRY!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello readers of fanfiction! I apologize in advance for anything in my story that does not meet your standards. I'm new at this, yes it's my first fic! Constructive criticism is appreciated. This is a crossover between Percy Jackson and the Kane chronicles. Please review; also please give me some tips on the Percy Jackson series. I've never actually read Percy Jackson! Anyway….. ON WITH THE STORY! I DON'T OWN ANYTHING!**

**I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE A LINE DIVIDER SO THIS IS IT! COOLEST LINE DIVIDER IN HISTORY!**

SADIE'S POV

I breathed in and out half-heartedly as I stared off into the vast graveyard. I loved graveyards; hey don't get me wrong I'm NOT Goth or emo! I was in the oldest part of the decrepit graveyard, it smelled of earth here. Well I guess I should start explaining from the beginning. My brother and I, carter, are Egyptian magicians! We are blood of the pharos; which means we are related to ancient pharos and that we can host gods more easily. Oh sorry, I've forgotten to mention one tiny footnote, the Egyptian gods are real. Yep, I was host to Isis, goddess of magic. My brother hosted hours, god of war and what not. Our mother, Ruby, died when I was 6 and Carter was 8. I was sent to live with my grandparents in good ol England. Carter traveled the world with our dad. Now our dad is the host to the god of then dead, Osiris. He lives in the underworld.

Long story short and all that, my brother and I defeated Set, god of evil and some other stuff. We are currently in the process of fighting aphois, god of evil and chaos. He wants to eat the sun! Anyway, I was just sitting there mind my own jolly good bussnies when my phone buzzed. I whipped it out and saw that Carter had texted me. The text said to come home from whatever graveyard I was at this time! I groaned stood up slowly and began the long walk back to Brooklyn House, or the 21st nome.

LINE DIVIDER…LINE DIVIDER...LINE DIVIDER…LINE DIVIDER…LINE DIVIDER

Finally after a half an hour, I reached our mansion. I climbed the magical glowing stair case and open the large lumbering door. I drifted into the main room and was warmly,( too warmly for my taste) greeted by Carter. I took in the sight of his pristine dress shirt and kaki's along with his neatly combed hair. His dark skin contrasted with his white shirt. Suddenly there was a flash of bright light that caused me to close my eyes tightly and raise a hand to shield my eyes. When I opened my eyes I found myself in a completely white room. There were four white fluffy sofas in the center of the room. Three of them had room for two. One had room for three. There was a ghostly white coffee table in the middle of all the couches. On the table there was a red book and a puce of paper that would have been white if not for the many black words scribbled on it. I glanced at Carter to find a confused but worried look in his choco0late brown eyes.

Suddenly there was another blinding flash of light. Seven figures appeared from of them was a girl with a classic California surfer girl look. The stormy grey eyes ruined the image. Here arm was looped with a boy's. he had black hair and sea green eyes. There was also a beautiful girl. There was also a strong looking burly girl. To my surprise there was a boy with goat legs! He looked very nervous. There was also a boy with dark eyes and black hair. He was dressed like me, a punk/ leather style with lots of black. The surfer girl's eyes were the first to notice us. She tapped her companions and they all stared at us. In particular I noticed that Goth looking boy's eyes lingered on me. I tried to stop a blush from rising to my checks'. The blonde surfer girl stepped forward cautiously.

"Hello. I am Annabeth Chase. Who are you?" Without even a sideways glance at Carter replied," I will not introduce myself until you tell me who you are. All of you!" with a little hesitation she said," Very well then." The one boy unloosed his arm from the girl's and stepped forward. "I am Percy Jackson son of the Greek god Poseidon." My mouth feel open and I quickly closed it. "Go on." I said. Next the burley girl spoke, "I am Clarisse only daughter of Ares Greek god of war. So don't mess with me twerps!" I looked over and saw Carter's uneasy look. The surfer girl also said she was a daughter of Athena. The goat boy was introduced as Grover the satyr. The beautiful girl, I learned was Piper McLean, daughter of Aphrodite. And finally, the last boy. He said," I am Nico di Angelo son of Hades." Wow I thought, so this is why he slightly reminded me of Anubis!

"Well," said Annebeth, "your turn!" I could tell carter was amazed so I rolled my eyes and stepped forward. "I am Sadie Kane, daughter of Osiris Egyptian god of the dead. I am an Egyptian magician and blood of the pharos. I am the former host of Isis, goddess of magic. This is my brother, Carter Kane, former host to Horus, god of pharos and war. We are the defeaters of Set god of evil. We are enemies of Apohis. We follow the old paths!"

Their mouths gaped open. Carter said," Well obviously we are all missing something so let's read that note, it might explain something." He said pointing to the letter on the table. I stepped forward and snatched the letter. It read, _DEAR KANES AND DEMIGODS; YOU WERE SENT HERE TO READ THE FIRST BOOK IN THE KANE SEREIS. SO THAT YOU MAY UNDERSTAND EACHOTHER BETTER. PLEASE TAKE TURNS READING FROM THE BOOK. NO FIGHTS PLEASE! AND DON'T WORRY, TIME IS FROZEN IN THE REAL WORLD SO YOU WOM'T MISS ANYTHING! ALL YOUR BASIC NEEDS WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF._

_~SIGNED ALL THE GREEK AND EGYTIAN GODS AND GODESSES~_

We all looked down at the book on the table. Carter and I groaned. It was The Red Pyramid! "well I guess we have no choice but to read!" groaned Percy. "Hey" cried Annebeth," reading rocks!" "Ya, you would say that being a daughter of Athena and all!" snickered Nico.

'Who wants to go first?' questioned grover. We all glanced around. "I will I guess." Said Piper

**A Death at the Needle**

**Carter**

**WE ONLY HAVE A FEW HOURS, SO LISTEN CAREFULLY. IF YOUR HEARING THIS STORY YOUR ALREADY IN DANGER. SADIE AND I MIGHT BE YOUR ONLY TO THE SCHOOL. FIND THE LOCKER. I WONT TELL YOU WHAT SCHOOL OR WHAT LOCKER, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE THE RIGHT PERSON YOU'LL FIND IT. THE COMONATION IS 13/32/33. BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING YOULL KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS MEAN. JUST REMEMBER THE STORY WE'RE ABOUT TO TELL YOU ISN'T COMPLETE YET. HOW IT ENDS DEPEWNDS ON YOU.**

'GEE carter, no pressure. No pressure it all!' said percy. ' hey it's true all of it. Everything is true in this book.'

**THE MOST IMPOTRANT THING ; WHEN YOU OPEN THE PACKAGE AND FIND WHATS INSIDE DON'T KEEP IT LONGER THAN A WEEK. SURE IT WILL BE TEMPTING. I MEAN IT CAN GRANT YOU ALMOST UNLIMITED POWER. BUT IF YOU POSSES IT TOO LONG IT WILL CONSUME YOU.**

'I WAS WONDERING why we couldn't keep it' said percy

**LEARN IT'S SECRETS QUICKLY AND PASS IT ON. HIDE FOR THE NEXT PERSON AS SADIE AND I HAVE DONE FOR YOU. THEN BE PREPARED FOR YOUR LIFE TO GET VERY INTERISTENG. OKAY SADIE IS TELLING ME TO GET ON WITH THE STORY. FINE.**

'thank you Sadie!" cried everyone.

**I GUESS IT STARTED IN LONDON TH NIGHT OUR DAD BLEW UP THE BRITISH MUSEUM.**

'COOL' cried tha boys.

**IM CARTER KANE IM 14 AND MY HOME IS A SUITCASE. YOU THINK I'M KIDDING? SINCE I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD MY DAD AND I HAVE TRAVLED THE WORLD. I WAS BORN IN L.A. BUT MY DADS AN ARCEOLIGIST SO HIS WORK TAKES HIM ALL OVER. MOSTLY WE GO TO EGYPT SINCE THAT'S HIS SPEACILTY. GO TO A BOOK STORE AND FIND A BOOK ABOUT EGYPT, THERES A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE IT WAS WRITTEN BY DR. JULIUS KANE.**

'YOUR DAD IS DR. JULIUS KANE?' SAID ANNEBETH. "Yes' I retorted.

**WANT TO KNOW HOW THE EGYTIANS PULLED THE BRAINS OUT OF MUMMIES, OR BUILT THE PYRIMADS, OR CURSED KING TUT'S TOMB? MY DAD IS YOUR MAN! OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER REASONS MY DAD MOVED AROUND SO MUCH, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HIS SECRETS BACK THEN**

'Awesome" cried all the boys.' Ewww' cried piper.

**I DIDN'T GO TO SCHOOL. MY DAD HOME SCHOOLED ME, IF YOU CAN CALL IT HOME SCHOOLING WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A HOME. HE SORT OF TAUGHT ME WHATEVER HE THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT, SO I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT EGYPT , BASKET BALL STATS, AND MY DADS FAVORITE MUSICANS. I ALSO READ A LOT, TOO- PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING I COULD GET MY HANDS ON, FROM MY DADS HISTORY BOOKS TO FANTASY NOVELS- BECAUSE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME SITTING AROUND IN HOTELS AND AIRPORTS AND DIG SITES IN FORIGEN COUNTRIES WHERE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY. MY DAD WAS ALWAYS TELLING ME TO PUT DOWN A BOOK AND PICK UP A BALL. YOU EVER TRY TO START A PICK UP GAME OF BASKET BALL IN ASWAN, EGYPT? IT'S NOT EASY.**

**ANYWAY MY DAD TRAINDED ME EARLY TO KEEP ALL MY POSSESIONS IN ONE SUITCASE THAT FITS IN AN AIRPLAIN'S OVER HEAD COMPARTMENT. MY DAD PACKED THE SAME WAY , EXCEPT HE WAS ALLOWED AN EXTRA WORK BAG FOR HIS ARHEOLOGY TOOLS. RULE NUMBER 1: I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO LOOK IN HIS WORK BAG. THAT'S A RULE I NEVER BROKE UNTIL THE DAY OF THE EXPLOSION.**

'Poor confused carter. I'm ashamed to have you for a brother. You rule keeper!' I sighed everyone laughed

**IT HAPPENED ON CHRISTMAS EVE. WE WERE IN LONDON FOR VISITATION DAY WITH MY SISTER SADIE. SEE DADS ONLY ALLOWED ONE DAY A YEAR WITH HER- ONE IN THE WINTER AND ONE IN THE SUMMER- BECAUSE OUR GRANDPARENTS HATE HIM. AFTER OUT MOM DIED HER PARENTS (OUT GRANDPARENTS) HAD THIS BIG COURT BATTLE WITH MY DAD. AFTER 6 LAWYERS, 2 FISTFIGHTS, AND A NEAR FATAL ATTACK WITH A SPATULA**

'DON'T ASK' CARTER REPLYED TO ALL THE FREAKED OUT FACES.

**(DON'T ASK) THEY WON THE RIGHT TO KEEP SADIE WITH THEM IN ENGLAND. SHE WAS ONLY 6 THWO YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME, AND THEY COULDENT KEEP US BOTH- ATLEAST THAT WAS THERE EXSCUSE FOR NOT TAKING ME.**

'Really they just hate you because you look like dad' I replied.

**SO SADIE WAS RAISED AS A BRITISH SCHOOLKID, AND I TRAVLED AROUND WITH MY DAD. WE ONLY SAW SADIE TWICE A YEAR WHICH WAS FINE WITH ME.[ SHUT UP SADIE. YES- IM GETTING TO THAT PART]**

**SO ANYWAY MY DAD AND I HAD JUST FLOWN INTO HEARTHROW AFTER A COUPLE OF DELAYS. IT WAS A DRIZZLY COLD AFTERNOON. THE WHOLE TAXI RIDE INTO THE CITY MY DAD SEEMED KIND OF NERVOUS.**

'Why?' questioned Grover.

**NOW MY DAD IS A BIG GUY. YOU WOULDEN'T THINK ANYTHING COULD MAKE HIM NERVOUS. HE HAD DARK BROWNSKIN LIKE MINE, AND PERICING BROWN EYES, A BALD HEAD, AND A GOATEE SO HE LOOKS LIKE A BUFF EVIL SCIENTIST.**

Everyone scrutinized Carter's appearance compared to our dad's. 'I can totally see your dad in you.' Said Percy. 'But wait aren't you and Sadie siblings?' 'Yes we are! Our mum is white and our dad is dark.' I exclaimed. 'Another thing is that both my dad and carter are horrid liars. Really, nothing like me at all!' everyone laughed. 'Hey!' exclaimed carter.

**THAT AFTERNOON HE WORE HIS CASHMERE WINTER COAT AND BEST BROWN SUIT,THE ONE HE USED FOR PUBLIC LECTURES. USALLY HE EXUDES SO MUCH CONFIDENCE THAT HE DOMINATES ANY ROOM HE WALKS INTO, BUT SOMETIMES- LIKE THAT AFTERNOON- I SAW ANOTHER SIDE TO HIM THAT I DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND. HE KEPT LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER LIKE WE WERE BEING HUNTED.**

'Because you were!' I said

"**DAD?" I SAID AS WE WERE GETTING OFF THE A-40. "WHAT'S WRONG?" " NO SIGN OF THEM," HE MUTTERED. THEN HE'D MUST HAVE REALIZWED HE'D SPOKEN ALOUD BECAUSE HE LOOKED AT ME KIND OF STARTELED." NOTHING CARTER, EVERYTHING'S FINE." WICH BOTHERED ME BECAUSE MY DAD IS AREALLY BAD LAIR. I ALWAYS KNEW WHEN HE WAS HIDING SOMETHING BUT I ALSO KNEW NO AMOUNT OF PERSISTING COULD GET THE TRUTH OUT OF HIM.**

I looked around to see nico's eyes quickly drift away from me. I got the feeling he had been watching me, studying me for a while.

**HE WAS PROBABLY TRYING TO PROTECT ME, THOUGH FROM WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME. SOMETIMES I WONDERED IF HE HAD SOME KIND OF DARK SECRET IN HIS PAST, SOME OLD ENEMY FOLLOWING HIM , MABEY; THE IDEA SEEMED RIDICOULOUS. DAD WAS JUST AN ARCAEOLIGIST.**

**THE OTHER THINGS THAT TROUBLED ME; DAD WAS CLUTHCING HIS WORKBAG. USALLY WHEN HE DOES THAT IT MEANS WE ARE IN THE TIME GUNMEN STORMED OUR HOTEL IN CAIRO. I HEARD SHOTS COMING FROM DOWNSTAIRS IN THE LOBY SO I WENT DOWN TO GO CHECK ON MY DAD. BY THE TIME I GOT THERE HE WAS JUST CAMLT ZIPPING UP HIS WORK BAG WHILE 3 GUNMEN HUNG BY THEIR FEET FROM THE CHANDELEIER , THEIR ROBES FALLING OVER THEIR FACES SO WE COULD SEE THEIR BOXER SHORTS.**

'I love your dad' cried Grover, Percy, and nico.

**DAD CLAIMED NOT TO HAVE WITNESSED ANYTHING , AND IN THE END THE POLICE BLAMED A FREAK CHANDELEIR MALFUNCTION.**

**ANOTHER TIME WE GOT CAUGHT IN A RIOT IN PARIS. MY DAD FOUND THE NEAREST PARKED CAR AND PUSHED ME INTO THE BACKSEAT, AND TOLD ME TO STAY DOWN. I PRESSED MYSELF DOWN AGAINST THE FLOORBOARDS ANDKEPT MY EYES SHUT TIGHT. I COULD HEAR DAD IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT, RUMMAGING IN HIS WORKBAG, MUMBLING SOMETHING TO HIMSELF WHILE THE MOB YELLED AND DESTROYED THINGS OUTSIDE. **

'You didn't even once look up to see the action?' I said amazed!

'No' said carter. I gasped.

**A FEW MINUTES LATER HE TOLD ME IT WAS SAFE TO GET UP. EVERY OTHER CAR ON THE BLOCK HAD BEEN OVERTURNED AND SET ON FIRE. OUR CAR AND BEEN FRESHLY WASHED AND POLISHED, AND SEVERAL 20-EURO NOTES HAD BEEN TUCKED UNDER THE WINDSHIELD , I'D COME TO RESPECT THE BAG. IT WAS OUR GOOD LUCK CHARM. BUT WHEN MY DAD KEPT IT CLOSE IT MENT WE WERE GOING TO NEED GOOD LUCK. WE DROVE THROUGH THE CITY CENTER, HEADING EAST TWORDS MY GRANDPARENTS' FLAT. WE PASSED THE GOLDEN GATES OF BUCKINGHAM PALACE, THE BIG STONE COLUM IN TRAFLAGER SQUARE. LONDON IS A PRETTY COOL PLACE, BUT AFTER YOU TRAVELED SO MUCH ALL THE CITIES START TO BLEND TOGETHER. OTHER KIDS I MEET SAY," WOW, YOU'RE SO LUCK TO GET TO TRAVLE SO MUCH." BUT IT'S NOT LIKE WE SPEND OUR TIME SIGHTSEEING OR THAT WE HAVE THE MONEY TO TRAVLE IN STYLE.**

'It's still cool though. I wish I could do that' said Annabeth.

**WE'VE STAYED IN SOME PRETTY ROUGH PLACES , AND WE HARDLY EVER STAY ANYWHERE LONGER THAN A FEW DAYS. MOST OF THE TIME IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE FUGITIVES RATHER THAN TOURISTS.**

All the demigods nodded their heads in agreement.

**I MEAN YOU WOULDEN'T THINK MY DADS WORK IS DANGEROUS. HE DOES LECTURE ON STUFF LIKE, 'CAN EGYTIAN MAGIC REALLY KILL YOU?'**

Yes!

**AND , "FAVORITE PUNISHMENTS OF THE EGYTIAN UNDERWORLD."**

I smiled deviously at this.

**AND OTHER STUFF MOST PEOPLE WOULDENT CARE ABOUT. BUT LIKE I'VE SAID THERES THAT OTHE SIDE TO HIM. HE'S ALWAYS VERY CATIOUS, CHECKING EVERY HOTEL ROOM BEFORE HE LETS ME WALK INTO IT. HE'LL DART INTO A MUSEUM, TAKE A FEW NOTES, AND DART OUT AGAIN, LIKE HE'S AFRAID TO BE CAUGHT ON SECURITY CAMERAS.**

**ONE TIME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER WE RUSHED ACROSS THE CHARLES DE GAULLE AIRPORT TO CATCHA LAST MINUTE FLIGHT, AND DAD DIDN'T RELAX UNTIL THE PLANE WAS OFF THE GROUND I ASKED HIM POINT BLANK WHAT HE WAS RUNNING FROM, AND HE'D LOOK ET ME LIKE I'D JUST PULLED THE PIN OUT OF A SECOND I WAS SCARED HE MIGHT ACTUALLY TELL ME THE TRUTH. THEN HE SAID ," CARTER , IT'S NOTHING." AS IF NOTHING WERE THE MOST TERRIBLE THING IN THE WORLD. AFTER THAT I DECIDED THAT MABEY IT WAS BETTER NOT TO ASK QUESTIONS.**

I sent a disappointed glare at cater.

**MY GRANDPARENTS, THE FAUSETS, LIVE IN A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEAR CANARY WHARF RIGHT ON THE BANK OF THE RIVER THAMES. THE TAXI LET US OFF AT THE CURB AND TOLD THE DRIVER TO WAIT. WE WERE HALFWAY UP THE WALK WHEN DAD FROZE AND TURNED AROUND TO LOOK BEHINDE US."WHAT?" I ASKED**

**THEN I SAW THE MAN IN A TRENCH COAT. HE WAS ACROSSTHE STREET, LEANING AGANSIT A BIG DEAD TREE. HE WAS BARREL SHAPED WITH SKIN THE COLOR OF ROASTED COFFEE.**

'Wait? Who is that?" asked Percy. 'Wait and the book will explain it." Said annebeth

**HIS COAT AND BRIGHT PINSTRIPED SUIT LOOKED EXSPENSIVE. HE HAD LONG BRAIDED HAIR AND WORE A FEDORA PULLED DOWN LOW OVER HIS LARGE GLASSES. HE REMINDED ME OF A JAZZ MUSICAN** **MY DAD WOULD ALWAYS DRAG ME YO SEE IN CONCERT. EVEN THOUGH I COULDENT SEE HIS EYES I GOT THE IMPRESSION HE WAS WATCHING US. HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN OLD FRIENOR A COLLUGE OF DAD'S**

Nope, even closer I thought.

**NO MATTER WHERE WE WENT DAD ALWAYS RAN INTOP PEOPLE HE KNEW. BUT IT DID SEEM WEIRD THAT HE WAS WAITING FOR US HERE OUTSIDE MY GRANPARENTS' FLAT. AND HE DIDN'T LOOK HAPPY.**

" **Carter," MY DAD SAID," GO ON AHEAD."**

"**BUT-"**

"**GRT YOUR SISTER AND I'LL MEET YOU BACK AT THE TAXI." **

**HE CROSSED THE STREET TWORAD THE MAN IN THE TRENCH COAT, WHICH LERF ME EITH 2 CHOICES; FOLLOW MY DAD AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON**

'well at least you thought of that,"i said.

**OR DO AS I WAS TOLD. I DECIDED ON THE SLIGHTLY LESS DANGEROUS PATH. I WENT TO RERTIVE MY SISTER.**

'Okay first of all, you NEVER break the rules! And second are you sure that was the slightly less dangerous path?" I said, furious.

'Um…. Not so sure any more." Said carter.

**BEFORE I COULD EVEN KNOCK, SADIE OPEND THE DOOR.**

Nico now looked more interested now that Sadie was in the story.

"**LATE AS USUAL."**

**SHE WAS HOLDING HER CAT, MUFFIN, WHO HAD BEEN A GOING AWAY PRESENT FROM DAD 6 YEARS BEFORE. MUFFIN NEVER SEEMED TO GET OLDER OR BIGGER.**

Sadie smiled at the mention of muffin/ bast.

**SHE HAD FUZZY YELLOW AND BLACK FUR LIKE A MINATURE LEPORAD, ALERT YELLOW EYES, AND POINTY EARS THAT WERE TOO TALL FOR HER HEAD. A SILVER EGYTIAN PENDANT DNAGLED FROM HER COLLAR. SHE DIDN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE A MUFFIN, BUT SADIE HADE BEEN LITTLE WHEN SHE NAMED HER, SO I GUESS YOU HAVE TO GIVE HER SOME SLACK. SADIE HADEN'T CHANGED MUCH SINCE LAST SUMMER.**

**[AS IM RECORDING THIS SHE IS STANDIG NEXT TO ME GLARING, SO I BETTER BE CAREFEL HOW I DESCRIBE HER]**

**YOU WOULD NEVER GUESS SHE IS MY SISTER. FIRST OF ALL SHE'D BEEN LIVING IN ENGLAND SO LONG SHE HAS A BRITISH ACCENT. SECOND SHE TAKES AFTWER OUR MOM WHO WAS WHITE , SO SADIE'S SKIN IS MUCH LIGHTER THAN HAS STRAIGHT CARMEL COLORED HAIR WHICH SHE USALLY DYES WITH STRESKS OF BRIGHT COLORS. THAT DAY SHE HAD RED STREAKS DOWN THE LEFT SIDE. HERE EYES ARE BLUE, IM SERIOUS, BLUE JUST LIKE OUR MOM'S. SHE'S ONLY TWELVE BUT SHE'S EXACTLY AS TALL AS ME WHICH WAS REALLT ANNOYING. SHE WAS CHEWING GUM AS USUAL AND WAS DRESSED FOR HER DAY OUT WITH DAD IN BATTERED JEANS , A LEATHER JACKET AND COMBAT BOOTS LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO A CONCERT AND WAS HOPING TO STOMP IN SOME PEOPLE. SHE ALSO HAD HEADPHONES DANGILING AROUND HER NECK IN CASE WE BORED HER.**

Everyone studied Sadie as they compared her to the book description. Nothing had changed except for the fact that she had orange streaks in her hair an carter was now taller.

"**OUR PLANE WAS LATE." I TOLD HER. SHE POPPED A BUBBLE, SRATCHED MUFFIN'S HEAD, AND THROUGH THE CAT INSIDE. " GRAN GOING OUT."**

**FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE HOUSE GRANDMA FAUSET SAID SOMETHING THAT I COULDEN'T UNDERSTAND. PROBALY DON'T LET THEM IN.. SADIE CLOSED THE DOOR AND REGARDED ME AS IF I WERE A DEAD MOUSE HER CAT DRAGGED IN. **

"**SO HERE YOU ARE AGAIN."**

"**YEP."**

"**COME ON THEN." SHE SIGHED,"LET'S GET ON WITH IT."**

**THAT'S THE WAY SHE IS IS. NO, HEY HOW YA BEEN THE LAST 6 MONTHS? SO GLAD TO SEE YOU**

**BUT THAT WAS OKAY. WE WERE MORE LIKE DISTANT COUSINS THAN SIBLINGS. WE HAD NOTHING IN COMMON EXCEPT OUR PARENTS.**


	2. Chapter 2

**SORRY that last chapter was so dreadfully long. I couldn't stop. Hope you liked it. Please review!DISCLAMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING THAT RICK RODIAN WROTE!**

Nico POV

This Sadie girl intrigued me. There was no denying she was pretty. Her blue eyes were stunning, an her caramel colored hair is beautiful. Well anyway on with the story

**We trudged down the steps. I was thinking how she smelled of a combination of old people's house and bubble gum when she stopped so abruptly, I ran into her.**

"**Who's that?"She asked**

**I'd almost forgotten about the man in the trench coat. He and my dad were standing across the street having what looked like a serious argument. Dad's back was turned so I couldn't see his face, but his gestured with his hands like he does when he's agitated. The other guy scowled and shook his head.**

'**Dunno" I said 'he was there when we pulled up."**

"**He looks familiar." Sadie frowned like she was trying to remember."Come on."**

"**Dad wants us to wait in the cab." I said even though I knew it was no use. Sadie was already on the move.**

**Instead of going straight across the street, sh dashed up the sidewalk half a block, ducking behind cars, then crossed to the opposite side and crouched under a low stone wall. She started sneaking toward our dad, I had no choice but to follow her example, even though it made me feel kind of stupid.**

"**Six years in England," I muttered," and she thinks she's James Bond."**

'You can never be too careful." Said Annebeth.

**Sadie swatted me without looking back and kept creeping forward.**

'See! I'm just that good!" cried Sadie. We all laughed except for carter.

**A couple more steps and we were right behind the big dead tree. I could hear my dad on the other side saying,"- have to Amos. You know it's the right thing."**

"**No," said the other man who must have been Amos. His voice was deep and even- very insistent. His accent was American." If I don't stop you Julius, the will. The Per Ankh is shadowing you." **

"The per-what?" I asked. Piper chuckled and read the next line.

**Sadie turned to me and mouthed the words "per-what?"**

Sadie and I blushed.

**I shook my head myself just as mystified. "Let's get out of here." I whispered because I figured we'd get caught any minute and get in serious trouble. Sadie of course ignored me.**

"**They don't know my plan," my father was saying, "by the time they figure it out-"**

"**And the children?" Amos asked. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. "What about them."**

"**I've made arrangements to protect them," my dad said," Besides if I don't do this we are all in danger. Now back off."**

"**I can't Julius."**

"**Then it's a duel you want?" my dad's tone was deadly serious. "You could never beat me Amos."**

**I hadn't seen my dad get violent since the great spatula incident, and ii wasn't anxious the have a repeat of that, but the 2 men seemed to be edging toward a fight**

'WHAT exactly was this incident with the spatula we've been hearing so much about?" said Percy. 'Let's just say it sent two lawyers, one spectator, and Sadie and I to the intensive care in the hospital.' Said carter.

**Before I could react Sadie popped up and shouted,"Dad!" he looked surprised when she tackle hugged him, but not nearly as surprised as the other guy. He backed up so quickly he tripped over his own trench coat.**

**He hadn't taken off his glasses but I couldn't help but feel like I knew him. Sadie was right. He did look familiar- like a distant memory.**

Suddenly yet another bright flash appeared. Four people walked out from the light. I recognized three of them. They were Travis, Connor, and Apollo! They all greeted us and introduced themselves. The fourth person was a tall woman in a tight leopard jumpsuit. She had long black hair and a silver Egyptian pendant dangling from her necklace. She had alert yellow eyes that happened to be glaring at Apollo. W

"Who are you "I asked. She stopped glaring and said "I am Bast Egyptian goddess of cats. Protector of Sadie and carter Kane.' Sadie ran forward and greeted bast with a hug." So you know what's going on right?" she asked

Bast replied yes, she said the other gods were letting Apollo come so she had to come in order to defend her kittens. Then we got back to the story because it was clear that at any moment bast might attack Apollo.

"**I-I must be going." He said. He straightened his fedora and lumbered down the road. Our dad watched him go with one arm protectively around Sadie and one hand inside the workbag slung over his shoulder. Finally when Amos disappeared around the corner dad relaxed. He took his hand out of the workbag and smiled at Sadie "hello sweetheart." Sadie pushed away from him and crossed her arms**

Sadie looked sad and I wanted to comfort her. Bast beat me to it though.

"**Oh its sweetheart now is it? Your late visitation day is nearly over. And what was that about? Who's Amos and What's the Per Ankh?" dad stiffened and glanced at me like he was wondering how much we'd heard.**

'**It's nothing "he said trying to sound upbeat, "I have a wonderful evening planned. Who would like to take a tour of the British Museum?"**

** Sadie slumped in the back of the taxi between dad and me" I can't believe it. One evening together and you want to spend it at the museum." Dad tried for a smile**

'**Sweetheart it I'll be fun. The curator especially invited me."**

"**Right big surprise." She blew a strand of red streaked hair out of her face. 'Christmas Eve, and we're going to see some moldy old relics from Egypt. Do you ever think of anything else."**

'they are not just MOLD OLD RELICES…! THEY ARE HISTORY." Cried Annebeth.

**Dad didn't get mad, he never gets mad at Sadie. He just stared out the window at the darkening sky and the rain.**

"**Yes," he said quietly," I do." **

**Whenever dad got quiet like that and stared off to nowhere I knew he was thinking about mom. The last few months I knew he was thinking about our mom. I'd walk into our hotel room and find him, cell phone in hands, mom's picture smiling up from him-her hair tucked under a head scarf, her blue eyes startlingly bright against the desert backdrop.**

"She looked exactly like Sadie." Said bast. I could see why Sadie's dads fell for her mom.

**Or we'd be at some dig sit and I'd see dad staring at the horizon. I knew he was remembering how the met- two young scientists in the Valley of the Kings on a dig to discover a lost tomb. Dad was an Egyptologist. Mom was an anthropologist looking for ancient DNA. He'd told me the story a thousand times. Our taxi snaked its way along the river Thames, and just past the waterloo bridge my dad tensed.**

'**Driver stop here a moment." He said.**

**The cabbie pulled over on the Victorian Embankment. "What is it dad?" I asked.**

** He got out of the cab like he hadn't heard me. When Sadie and I joined him on the sidewalk, he was staring up at Cleopatra's needle. In case you've never seen it: the needle is an obelisk not a needle. It doesn't have anything to do with Cleopatra. I guess the British just thought it sounded cool when they brought it to England. It is about 70ft tall. In England, With all the tall buildings around it, It looks small and sad. You could drive right past it and not even realize you just drove right past something older than London. "God do we have to stop for every monument!" said Sadie.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Please review. Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or the Kane chronicles.**

PERCY POV

This is really weird. First we meet these crazy Egyptians and now we find out that the Egyptian gods are real! We are even reading one of their books. I keep seeing Nico stare at that girl Sadie. I told Annebeth and asked if we should be worried. Then she told me that I was such a seaweed brain. Couldn't I see that Nico had a crush. We decided to talk to him about it later. Well anyway Piper has started reading again so on with the story.

**My dad stared at the top of the obelisk. "I had to see it again where it happened." He muttered. A freezing wind blew off the river, I wanted to get back in the cab. My dad was really starting to worry me; I'd never seen him so distracted.**

'aw isn't that nice the little sissy cares about his daddy" said Clarisse.

"**What dad?" I asked " What happened here?"**

"**The last place I saw here." Sadie stopped pacing. She scowled uncertainly at me then back at dad." Hang on. Do you mean Mum?"**

**Dad brushed Sadie's hair behind her ear. She was so surprised she didn't even pull away. I felt like rain had frozen me solid. Mom's death had always been a forbidden subject. I knew she'd died in an accident in London. I knew my grandparents blamed my dad for it. But no one would ever tell us the details. I'd given up asking my dad partly because it made him so sad, and partly because he absolutely refused to tell me. 'when your older' was what he would say**

"I think that's what all adults say!' said Nico.

**Which was the most annoying response ever! 'You're telling us she died here? At Cleopatra's needle? What happened?" I said. he lowered his head.**

"**Dad! I go past this everyday and I didn't even know?"**

"**Do you still have your cat?"asked dad**

"Why would he ask that" I asked

**Which seemed like a really stupid question.**

"**Of corse I've still got the cat. What does that have to do with anything?"**

"**And your amulet?"**

**Sadie's hand went to her neck. When we were little, right before Sadie went to live with our grandparents, dad had given us both Egyptian amulets. Mine was an eye of Horus, winch was a protection symbol.**

Everyone like at carter and Sadie's amulets. "What's yours Sadie?" asked Piper.

"it is the knot of Isis which is one of Isis's symbols." She replied.


	4. Chapter 4

"Cool" said Connor" just kidding, can we get moving, I'm bored!"

**In fact my dad says the modern pharmacist symbol is a simplified version of the eye of Horus, because medicine is supposed to protect you. Anyway I always wore mine under my shirt, but I figured Sadie lost hers or threw it away.**

"First of all I wouldn't throw one of the only things I have left of dad away. Second of all the only time I tried to throw it away, I was made at dad!" Sadie said sadly.

**To my surprise Sadie said, "of course I have it dad, but don't change the subject. Gran's always going on about how you caused mom's death. That's not true is it?"We waited for once Sadie and I wanted exactly the same thing, the truth.**

"Oh my gods! It's worse than Apohis rising! Sadie and carter want the same thing! It's the end of the world!" cried bast.

"**The night your mother died here at the needle," my dad started. A sudden flash illuminated the embankment. I turned half blind and just for a moment I glimpse two figures: a tall pale man with a forked beard and wearing cream colored robes, and a girl and a coppery skinned girl in dark robes and a head scarf, the kind I'd seen thousands of times in Egypt.**

Just then carter got a dreamy look in his eyes. He seemed to be off in dreamland, and Sadie must have noticed this too because she began to talk. "That's his new girl-friend, Zia, he is in looove! Don't tell him I said that." Then carter snapped back to reality. "What! Huh what are we talking about?" Sadie quickly retorted, "Nothing, I was just explaining that I can't tell them what's going on. That the book will explain it later." Wow she was a really good liar. Even the Stoll brothers seemed to think so.

**They were just standing there side by side, not twenty feet away, watching us. Then the light faded and they melted into a fuzzy afterimage. When my eyes readjusted to the darkness, they were gone. "Um," Sadie said nervously, "did you see that?" "Get in the cab we're out of time." Said my dad. From that point on dad clammed up. "This isn't the place to talk." He kept glancing behind us. He promised the cabbie an extra 10 pounds if he got us to the museum in less than 5 minutes, and the cabbie was doing his best. "Dad" I tried "those people at the river.."**

"**And that other bloke Amos are thy Egyptian police or some thing?" Asked Sadie.**

"**Look both of you; I'm going to need your help tonight. I know it's hard but you have to be patient. I'll explain everything, I promise, after we get to the museum. I'm going to make everything right."**

**What do you mean," Sadie asked, "make what right?" dad's expression was more than sad. Almost guilty. With a chill, I thought about what Sadie said: about our grandparents blaming him for mom's death. That couldn't be what he was talking about, could it? The cabbie swerved into Great Russell Street and screeched to a halt in front of the museum's main gates. We climbed out of the cab. I got our luggage while dad paid the cab driver with a big wad of cash. "Just follow my lead." Dad told us. "When we meet the curator act normal." I was thinking that Sadie could never act normal but I decided not to say anything.**

Anyone who decided to laugh got a death glare that rivaled nico's

**Dad did a strange thing. He threw a handful of small objects into the back seat- they looked like stones, but it was too dark for me to be sure. "Keep driving," he told the cabbie, "take us to Chelsea." That made no sense since we were already out of the cab, but the driver sped off. I glanced at dad and then at the cab, and right before it turned the corner I saw 3 passengers in the backseat, a man and 2 kids. I blinked there was no way the cab could have filled up so fast. "Dad-" **

"**London cabs don't stay empty for very long.' He said matter- o –faCTLY. "Come along kid." He marched off through the wrought iron gated and Sadie and I hesitated for a moment. "Carter, what's going on?" I shook my head. "I'm not sure I want to know." **

"**Well stay out here in the cold if you want, but I'm not leaving without an explanation." She turned and marched off after our dad. Looking back on it, I should have run. I should have dragged Sadie out of there and got as far away as possible. Instead I followed here through the gates.**

"Well that chapters over," said piper, "Sadie I think you should read the next chapter since it is your book." Piper handed Sadie the book gently. She began to read.

**Chapter 2 an explosion for Christmas carter.**

**I've been to the British museum before, more than I like to admit. It makes me sound like a geek.**

"That's because you are one!" Cried Sadie. we all laughed.

**Nico pov**

I loved the way Sadie laughed. It was beautiful. I could go one for ever… stop Nico you barely know her!

**The museum was closed and completely dark, but the curator and two security guards were waiting for us on the front steps. "dr. Kane." the curator was a greasy little dude in a cheap suit. I'd seen mummies with more hair and better teeth. He shook my dad's hand like he was meeting a rock star. "Your last paper on imhotep, brilliant, I don't know how you translated those spells." **

"I'm- o who?" I asked.

"**I'm a who?" Sadie muttered to me.**

"Creepy!" muttered Travis.

"**Imhotep," I said, "high priest architect, and some say he was a magician. Designed the first step pyramid you know."  
>"Don't know," Sadie said, "don't care." <strong>

**Dad expressed his gratitude to the curator for hosting us on a holiday. Then he put his hand on my shoulder. "Dr. Martin, I'd like you to meet Carter and Sadie."**

"**Ah your son obviously and-"the curator looked hesitantly at Sadie, "and this young lady?"**

"**My daughter." dad said proudly.**

**Dr. Martin's stare went temporarily blank**

Sadie frowned and looked really angry. Noticing my stare she replied, "people always do that when they find out I'm related to dad and carter. People look at us as weirdos who did something wrong."

Oh, we all replied. I felt really bad for Sadie, she looked upset.

**Doesn't matter how open minded or polite people think they are, there's always that moment of confusion that flashes across their faces when they find out Sadie is part of our family. I hate it but over the years I've come to expect it.'**

**The curator regained his smile. "Yes, yes of course. Right this way dr. Kane, we are very honored to have you."**

"Who wouldn't be?" said Annebeth.

**The security guards locked the doors behind us. They took our luggage, and then one of them reached for dad's work bag.**

"**Ah, no," dad said with a tight smile, "I'll keep this one with me."**

**The guards stayed in the foyer while we followed the curator into the great court. It was ominous at night. Dim light from the glass-domed ceiling cast crosshatched shadows across the walls like a spider web. Our footsteps clicked on the white marble floor.**

"**So," dad said, "the stone."**

'What stone?" cried all the half-bloods except Annebeth.

Suddenly another note appeared out of thin air.

"Hmmm. What's this?" asked Grover. He picked it up and read it aloud. This is what it said:

_Dear half-bloods and Egyptians,_

_ You may not know it since time is frozen but, it is 12:00 mortal time. We have decided that you need to sleep. So we have divided you up into rooms. There will be two to a room. Here is the roommates list._

_**Room 1: Annebeth and piper**_

_**Room 2: Travis and Connor**_

_**Room 3: Sadie and bast**_

_**Room 4: Nico and Percy**_

_**Room 5: Apollo and carter**_

_**Room 6: Grover**_

_**Room 7; Clarisse**_

_Have fun and please try to get along with your roommates._

_** Signed the Greek and Egyptian gods**_

_**p.s. carter and Sadie your father has insisted on visiting. He will arrive shortly after this message arrives.**_

Sadie and carter groaned.

"Well at least we get to meet another god." Said Annebeth trying to lighten the mood.

There was yet another flash but this one was back and green with a little shimmering out line of gold on the edges. Through it walked a tall green man. His image was flickering back and forth between the man described as carter and Sadie's dad, and Osiris.

"So you're the Julius cane?" asked an excited Annebeth.

"Yes, I am carter and Sadie's dad, host of Osiris." Said Osiris/ Julius.

Percy pointed to me and said, "This is Nico son of Hades." Osiris looked at me carefully and seemed to approve of me.

"You know Egyptian gods probably won't smite you like Greek gods, I mean Sadie does a lot of stuff that she should get killed for to the gods and she's still here." Said carter and we all smirked except Sadie.

Some of us , after talking a little to Osiris, drifted off to bed. Annebeth was pelting Osiris with endless questions and he answered them all patiently. Finally she seemed satisfied and went to bed reluctantly. Then Osiris talked to his children then came over to me and told me to say hello to my dad for him. He asked me nothing in particular. Then he said to watch out for Sadie's tongue, it was one of her best weapons but she probably wouldn't use them on me. He said he liked me and that I was a good kid. I found that a little strange, he finished off by talking to Sadie and carter. Then he said his goodbyes and then said something I hadn't expected. He said, "Sadie you need to practice opening portals, well I mean I want to see how good you are. Open me one to the land of the dead." So she did! Wow she was truly amazing. And whether I want to admit it or not, even to myself, I knew I was falling for Sadie. Carter, Sadie and I all walked lazily off to bed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Percy pov**

When I woke up it took me several minutes to remember all that had happened. When everything flooded back I began to dress quickly. I wandered into the main room to find everyone else up already eating breakfast. There was cereal, eggs, bacon, pancakes, and waffles. I sat down and ate some pancakes, which were not blue! Then we got on with reading the story. We decided Sadie would finish the chapter.

"**Yes," the curator said. "Though I can't imagine what you could glean from it. It's been studied to death- our most famous artifact, of course."**

"**Of course!" dad said, "you may be surprised."**

"What's he talking about?" asked Nico.

"**What's he on about now?" Sadie whispered to me.**

"weird." I muttered.

**I didn't answer. I had a sneaking suspicion that the stone they were talking about, but I couldn't figure out why dad would drag us out on Christmas eve to see it.**

**I wondered what he'd been about to tell us at Cleopatra's needle- something about our mother and the night she'd died. And why did he keep glancing around like he expected the strange people we saw at the needle to pop out again? We were locked in a museum surrounded by guards, no one could get to us here – I hoped. We turned left into the Egyptian wing. The walls were line with statues of pares and gods, but my dad passed by them all and went straight to the main attraction in the middle of the room.**

'Wait! What stone?" I cried.

"Ugh! Seaweed brain, the book will explain soon." Stressed Annebeth.

** "Beautiful.' My father muttered, "And it's not a replica?" **

** "no, no." the curator promised. "We don't always keep the real stone on display, but for you- this is quite real." We were staring at a gray slab of rock about three feet high and two feet wide. It sat on a pedestal encased in a glass box.**

"Probably wouldn't be too hard to steal." Pondered Travis.

"Oh no you won't! That's a priceless artifact. I'll be watching you two!" cried Annebeth.

**The flat surface of the stone was chiseled with three distinct bands of writing. The top part was ancient Egyptian picture writing: hieroglyphics. The middle section… I had to wrack my brain to remember what my dad had called it: demotic, a kind of writing from when the Greeks controlled Egypt and a lot of Greek words got mixed with Egyptian. The last lines were in Greek.**

"Does that mean we could read some of it?' I absentmindedly question Annebeth.

"Why, yes, especially those last three lines." She replied

"**The Rosetta stone.' I said**

"Isn't that a computer program?" asked Nico.

"**Isn't that a computer program?" asked Sadie**

Everyone looked suspiciously at Sadie and Nico.

**I wanted to tell her how stupid she was, but the curator cut me off with a nervous laugh. "Young lady, the Rosetta stone was the key to deciphering hieroglyphics! It was discovered by napoleon's army in 1799 and-"**

"Oh, right I remember now!" exclaimed Nico. Everyone knew he was just saying that to draw attention off of him.

"**Oh right," Sadie said. "I remember now."**

I looked at Nico in particular and saw he was desperately trying to hide the humungous blush that was rising to his normally pale cheeks, but failing miserably.

**I knew she was just saying that to shut him up, but my dad wouldn't let it go.**

'**Sadie, until the stone was discovered regular mortals… err, I mean no one had been able to read to ancient hieroglyphics for centuries. The written language of Egypt had been completely forgotten. There was an Englishman named Thomas young who proved that the Rosetta stone three languages all conveyed the same message. A French man named Champollion took up took up the work and cracked the code of hieroglyphics.'**

**Sadie chewed her gum unimpressed. 'What's it say then?"**

**Dad shrugged. "Nothing important. It's basically a thank you letter from some priests to king Ptolemy V. when it was first carved the stone was no big deal. But over the centuries it has become a powerful symbol. Perhaps the most powerful connection between ancient Egypt and the modern world. I was a fool not to realize its potential sooner."**

'He's so lost the curator and me!" said Connor.

**He'd lost me and the curator too.**

"**Dr. Kane? Are you quite alright?" he asked.**

**Dad breathed deeply. "My apologies, dr. martin I was just thinking aloud. If I could have the glass removed? And if you could bring me the papers I asked for from your archives."**

"What's he up to?" Annebeth asked

"Maybe he's planning to secretly steal it!" cried Travis and Connor with childish, uncontrollable glee.

**Dr. Martin nodded. He pressed a code into a small remote control and the front of the glass box clicked open.**

"**It will take a few minutes to retrieve the notes," dr. martin said. "For anyone else, I would hesitate to grant unguarded access to the stone, as you've requested. I trust you'll be careful."**

**He glanced a us kids like we were trouble makers.**

"Now why would he get such a silly notion? I mean carter and I are angles." Sadie mused with a very suspicious, but devious grin that confirmed all our suspicions why the curator thought exactly that.

"**We'll be careful." Dad promised.**

**As soon as dr. martin's steps receded, dad turned to us with a frantic look in his eyes. "Children this is very important. You have to stay out of this room."**

**He slipped his work bag off his shoulder and unzipped it just enough to pull out a bike chain and a padlock. "Follow dr. martin. You'll find his office at the end of the great court on the left. There's only one entrance. Once he's inside wrap this around the handles and lock it tight. We need to delay him"**

"WOW! YOUR DAD JUST GAVE YOU PREMISSION TO LOCK A CURATOR IN HIS OFFICE!" I cried.

"I know right? AWSOME! It was really easy." Sadie replied. "Afterwards, when we were walking away I heard the curator humming poker face (by lady gaga) to him. Also later after everything had happened he looked at me as if he knew it was me who chained him in!'

The Stoll brothers looked at her with new found respect.

"**You want us to lock him in? Brilliant!" Sadie asked suddenly interested.**

"**Dad what's going on?" I asked**

"**We don't have time for explanations this will be our only chance. They are coming!" he breathed.**

"Whose coming?" asked Nico.

"**Who's coming?" Sadie asked**

**He took Sadie by the shoulders. "Sweetheart, I love you. And I'm sorry- for so many things, but there's no time now. If this works I promise I'll make everything better for all of us. Carter, you're my brave man. You have to trust me. Remember lock up dr. martin and stay out of this room."**

"Like we needed a reminder to lock somebody up.'

Sadie said a little bit sadly.

** Chaining the curator's door was easy. But as soon as we had finished, we looked back the way we had come and saw blue light flashing from the Egyptian gallery, as if our dad had installed a giant glowing aquarium.**

'You know, I'm starting to see a resemblance between carter and Percy. They love to describe things weirdly.' Said Annebeth.

**Sadie locked eyes with me. "Honestly do you have any idea what he's up to?"**

"**None. But he's been acting strangely lately. He's been thinking a lot about mom. He keeps her picture…"**

**I didn't want to say anymore. Fourtently Sadie nodded like she understood.**

'**What's in his workbag?" she asked**

"**I don't know he never told me to look."**

Sadie broadcasted a look through the room that sent a very clear message:_ who are we even related? And you see what I have to put up with!_

**She raised an eyebrow. "And you never did? God carter that is so like you! You're hopeless!"**

**I wanted to defend myself but just then a tremor shock the floor.**

**Startled Sadie grabbed my arm. "He told you to stay put. I suppose you're going to follow that order too?"**

**Actually that order wad sounding pretty good to me-**

"Of course it was!" exclaimed Sadie. We all laughed at Sadie eye roll.

** When we reached the entrance to the Egyptian gallery, we stopped dead in our tracks. **

"Why? Was there some kind of horrible monster at the end?" asked piper

"You'll see." came from Sadie

**Our dad stood in front of the stone with his back to us. A blue circle glowed on the floor around him, as if someone had switched on hidden neon tubes in the floor. My dad had thrown off his overcoat. His workbag lay open at his feet, revealing a wooden box about two feet long painted with Egyptian images.**

"**What is he holding? Is that a boomerang?" Sadie whispered to me.**

"A boomerang?" roared bast.

"Sorry, I didn't know at the time."

**Sure enough when dad raised his hand, he was brandishing a curved white stick. It did look like a boomerang. But instead of throwing the stick he touched it to the Rosetta stone. Sadie caught her breath. Dad was writing on the stone. Wherever the boomerang made contact glowing blue lines appeared on the stone. Hieroglyphics. It made no sense. How could he write glowing words with a stick? But the image was bright and clear: ram's horns above a box with an X.**

'**Open 'Sadie muttered to me. I stared at her because it sounded like she had just translated the word, but that was impossible. I'd been hanging around dad for years, and even I could read only a few hieroglyphics. They are seriously hard to learn.**

"Don't sound so impressed carter. You know you are jealous!" said Sadie

**Dad raised his arms. He chanted: wo-seer, i-e. And two more hieroglyphics glowed blue against the rosette stone.**

**As stunned as I was I recognized the name of the Egyptian god of the dead.**

"You see even when we are in a state of total chaos; carter still has time to think about _these things."_ Sadie grumbled

"**wo-seer" I whispered. I'd never heard it pronounced that way before, but I knew it meant Osiris.**

"You never heard it pronounced like that before because mortals are terrible at pronouncing such things.' Bast claimed.

"**Osiris come." Sadie said as if in a trance then her eyes widened. "no." she shouted. "Dad, no!"**

**Our father turned in surprise. He started to say 'children-"but it was too late. The ground rumbled. The blue light turned to a searing white, and the Rosetta stone exploded. When I regained consciousness the first thing I heard was laughter. Horrible gleeful laughter mixed with the blare of the museum's security alarms. **

**I felt like I'd just been run over by a tractor. I sat up dazed and spit a piece of the Rosetta stone out of my mouth. The gallery was in ruins. Waves of fire rippled in pools along the floor. Giant statues had toppled. Sarchopogi had been knocked off their pedestals. Pieces of the Rosetta stone had been blown outward with such force that they'd embedded themselves in the columns, the walls, and other exhibits.**

"nnnooooo!" shrieked Annebeth. "all that history!"

**Sadie was passed out next to me, but she looked unharmed. I shock her shoulder and she grunted, "Ugh."**

**In front of us where the stone had been there was a smoking sheared off pedestal. The floor was blackened in a starburst pattern, except for the glowing blue circle around our father.**

**He was facing our direction but he didn't seem to be looking at us. A bloody cut ran across his scalp. He gripped the boomerang tightly. **

**I didn't understand what he was looking at. Then the horrible laughter echoed around the room again, and I realized it was coming from right in front of me.**

"aww, is the sissy scared?" said Clarisse.

**Something stood between our father and us. At first I could barely make it out- just a flicker of heat. But as I concentrated it took on a vague form- the fiery outline of a man.**

**He was taller than dad, and his laugh cut through me like a chainsaw.**

'**well done." He said to my father. "Very well done Julius."**

'**you were not summoned!" my father's voice trembled. He held up the boomerang, but the fiery man flicked one finger and the stick flew from dad's hand, shattering against the wall.**

'**I am never summoned Julius," the man purred. "But when you open a door you must be prepared for guest to walk through."**

"**Back to the duat!" my father roared. "I have the power of the great king!"**

"**Oh, scary," the fiery man said with amusement. "And even if you knew how to use that power, which you do not, he was never my match. I am the strongest. Now you will share his fate."**

Sadie carter and even bast looked depressed.

**I couldn't make any sense of anything, but I knew needed to help my dad. I tried to pick up the nearest chunk of stone, but I was so terrified my fingers felt frozen and numb. My hands were useless.**

**Dad sent me a silent look of warning: get out! I realized he was intentionally keeping the fiery man's back to us, hoping Sadie and I would escape unnoticed.**

**Sadie was still groggy. I managed to drag her behind a column into the shadows. When she started to protest I clamped my hand over her mouth. That woke her up. She saw what was going on and stopped fighting.**

**Alarms blared. Fire circled around the doorways of the gallery. The guards had to be on their way, but I wasn't sure if that was good for us.**

**Dad crouched to the floor keeping his eyes on the enemy, and opened the wooden box. He brought out a small rod like ruler.**

Again bast looked irritated.

**He muttered something under his breath and the staff elongated into a wooden staff as long as he was. Sadie made a squeaking sound. I couldn't believe my eyes either, but things only got weirder. **

**Dad threw his staff on the ground at the fire man's feet and it changed into an enormous serpent- 10 ft. Long and as big as I was – with coppery scales and glowing red eyes. It lunged at the firey man who effortlessly grabbed it by its neck. The man's hand burst into white flames, and the snake burned to ashes.**

"**An old trick Julius, "the man chided**

**My dad glanced at us silently urging us to run. Part of me refused to believe any of this was real. Maybe I was unconscious, having a nightmare. Next to me Sadie picked up a chunk of stone.**

"**How many?" dad asked quickly, trying to keep the fiery mans attention. "How many did I release?"**

"**Why all five." The man said as if explaining something to a child. "You should know we are a package deal Julius. Soon I'll release even more and they will be very grateful. I shall be named king again."**

"I don't think I'm following any of this!" I said. Most of the other demigods nodded their heads in agreement.

"**The demon days. They'll stop you before it's too late." My father said.**

"**The fiery man laughed. "You think the house can stop me? Those old fools can't even stop arguing among themselves. Now let the story be told anew. And this time you shall never rise." **

**The fiery man waved his hand. The blue circle at dad's feet went dark. Dad grabbed for his toolbox but it skittered across the floor.**

"**Goodbye Osiris." The fiery man said. With another flick of his hand he conjured a glowing coffin around dad. At first it was transparent but as dad struggled and pounded on its sides, it became more and more solid- a golden coffin with inlaid jewels. My dad caught my eye one last time and mouthed run before the coffin came into the floor, as if the ground had turned to water.**

The room was gravy silent as the horrid details spilled from the book.

"**Dad!" I screamed**

**Sadie threw her stone but it sailed harmlessly through the fiery man's head.**

**He turned, and for one horrible moment, his face appeared in the flames. What I saw made no sense. It was as if someone had superimposed different faces on top of each other- one almost human with pale skin, cruel angular features, and glowing red eyes. The other like an animal with dark fur and sharp fangs. Worse than a dog or a wolf, or a lion- some animal I'd never seen before. Those red eyes stared at me and I knew I was going to die.**

At this point piper looked completely mortified.

**Behind me heavy footsteps sounded on the marble floor of the Great Court. Voices were barking orders. The security guards, maybe the police- but they'd never get here in time. **

**The fiery man lunged at us. A few inches from my face something shoved him backwards. The air sparked with electricity. The amulet around my neck grew uncomfortably hot.**

Annebeth gasped and looked to bast as if for confirmation. Bast nodded as if in reply. What just happened?

**The fiery man hissed regarding me more carefully. "So it's you."**

**The building shook again. At the opposite end of the room, part of the wall exploded in a brilliant flash of light. Two people stepped through the gap. The man and the girl we'd seen at the needle, their robes swirling around them. Both of them held staffs.**

**The fiery man snarled. He looked at me one last time, "soon boy."**

**Then the entire room erupted into flames. A blast of heat sucked all the air out of my lungs and I crumpled to the floor.**

**The last thing I remember was the man with the forked beard and the girl in blue standing over me. I heard the guards running and shooting getting closer. The girl crouched over me and drew a long curved knife from her belt.**

"**we must act quickly." she told the man.**

"**Not yet he said with some reluctance. His thick accent sounded French. "We must be sure before we destroy them." I closed my eyes and drifted into unconsciousness. **

The whole room was filled with dread and uncomfortable silence, as if a thick blanket of uncertainty had descended upon us. In an attempt to change the mood Nico said, "What's the next chapter's name? I f anybody cares I'll read."

He snatched up the book and read the next chapter's name. _**Imprisoned with my cat: Sadie**_

_**Sorry it took me so long to update. I've been really busy. Please accept my apology. **_

_**Well I must be off now! **_

_**Mustaches 4ever! :{) :{) {{{[{{{**_


	6. Chapter 6

Piper pov

As Nico began reading the negative feelings in the room flew out and were replaced by thoughts of love and hope. (Well at least in my case.)

**[Give me the bloody mic.]**

**Hullo Sadie here. My brother is a rubbish story teller, but now you've got me so all is well. Let's see. The explosion. The Rosetta stone in a billion pieces. Evil fiery bloke. Dad boxed in a coffin. Creepy French guy and Arab girl with a knife. Us passing out. Right.**

**So when I woke up the police were rushing about us as you might expect. They separated me from my brother. I didn't really mind that part. He's a pain anyway. But the locked me in the curators office, and yes they used our bicycle chain to do it.**

"That's so wrong." Muttered Travis

"Plus it smelled like really cheap cologne in there!" Sadie cried pinching her nose at the memory.

**Cretins. I was shattered of course. I had just been knocked out by a fiery whatever- it –was.**

**I'd watched my dad get packed into a sarcophagus that shot through the floor. I tried to tell the police, but did they care?**

"no." cried all the boys.

**No!**

**Worst of all: I have a lingering chill as if someone was pushing ice cold needles through my neck. It had started when I looked at those glowing blue words on the Rosetta stone, I knew what they meant. A family disease perhaps? Can knowledge of boring Egyptian stuff be heredity? With my luck.**

**Long after my gum had gone stale, a police woman retrieved me from the curator's office. She asked me no question. She just trundled me into a police car and took me home. Even then I wasn't allowed to talk to gran or gramps. The policewoman just tossed me into my room. I waited and waited.**

Most of the boys in the room muttered something to the effect of 'I hate waiting."

**I don't like waiting. I paced the floor. My room was nothing posh, just a window a bed, and desk. There wasn't much to do. Muffin sniffed my legs and her tail puffed up like a bottlebrush. I suppose she didn't fancy the smell of museums.**

"No that wasn't it." Whispered bast.

We all looked at her weird because it was like she knew exactly what muffin was thinking, like she had been there. Carter and Sadie shared a look and said , "You'll see later on in the story."

**She hissed and disappeared under the bed.**

"**Thanks a lot."**

**I opened the door but the policewoman was standing guard.**

"**The inspector will be with you in a moment. Please stay inside." She told me.**

**I could see downstairs- just a glimpse of gramps pacing the room, wringing his hands, while carter and the police inspector talked on the sofa. I couldn't make out what they were saying.**

"**Could I just use the loo?" I asked the nice officer.**

"Let me guess she said no." grumbled condor.

"**no." she closed the door in my face. As if I might rig an explosion in the toilet. Honestly.**

Carter and bast glared at Sadie. "Well I know it's not totally an impossibility." Carter growled

"Do I even want to know?" I cried.

"Probably not." Sadie replied cheerfully.

**I dug out my iPod and scrolled through my playlists. Nothing struck me. I threw it on my bed on disgust. When I'm too distracted for music it is a sad thing. I wondered why carter got to talk to the police first I wasn't fair.**

"Wait, so it's not fair that carter got interrogated first?" questioned Annebeth.

**I fiddled with my necklace dad had given me. I'd never been sure what the symbol meant. Carter's was obviously an eye, but mine looked a little bit like an angle-**

"So not fitting for the person wearing it." Chuckled carter.

Sadie gave him a death glare that made me shake in my incredibly cute pink boots.

**Or perhaps a killer alien robot.**

"It's a wonder Isis didn't kill you for that, Sadie." Cried bast.

**Why on earth had dad asked if I still had it? Of course I still had it. It was the only gift he had ever given me. Well apart from muffin, and with her attitude I'm not sure I'd call her a proper gift.**

Bast looked oddly offended.

**Dad had practically abandoned me at age six after all.**

Sadie looked guilty while us demigods looked sympathetic.

**The necklace was my only link to him. On good days I would stare at it and remember him fondly. On bad days, which were far more frequent, I would fling it across the room and stomp on it and curse him for not being around which I found quite therapeutic.**

"I'll be sure to recommend stomping on necklaces and cursing to the Apollo cabin for future healing ideas." Chuckled Percy.

**But in the end I'd always put it back on**

**At any rate, during the weirdness of the museum- and I'm not making this up-the necklace got hotter. I nearly took it off but I couldn't help wondering if it was really protecting me.**

_**I'll make things right**_** dad had told me with that guilty look he often gives me.**

**Well colossal fail dad! What had he been thinking? I wanted to believe it had all been a bad dream: the glowing hieroglyphics, the snake staff, the coffin. Things like that don't just happen. But I knew better. I couldn't dream anything as horrifying as the fiery man's face when he turned on us. 'Soon boy.' He'd told carter as if he'd intended to track us down. Just the idea made my hands tremble. I couldn't help wondering about our stop at Cleopatra's needle, how dad had insisted on seeing it, as if he were stealing his courage, as if what he Had to do at the British museum had something to do with my mum.**

**My eyes wandered across the room and fixed on my desk.**

_**No not going to do it.**_** I thought.**

**But I walked over and opened the drawer. I shoved aside a few old mags, my stash of sweets, a stack of maths I'd forgotten to hand in, **

Carter and Annebeth glared at her for the forgotten to turn in homework part.

**And a few pictures of me and my mates Liz and Emma trying on ridiculous hats at the Camden market. And there at the bottom of it all was a picture of my mum.**

The room grew quiet waiting to see what would happen next. Some of us thinking of our parents and how much we miss them. It was so quiet the only sound in the room was Nico reading and Clarisse snoring in her sleep because of the lack of action. Not even the Stoll brothers uttered a smart- alic remark.

**Gran and gramps have loads of pictures. They keep a shrine to ruby in the hall cupboard- mum's childhood art work, her O- level results, and her graduation picture from university, her favorite jewelry. It's quite mental.**

"That is kind of weird." Said Percy.

**I was determined not to be like them living in the past. I barley remembered her, after all, but nothing could change the fact that she was dead.**

**But I did keep one picture. It was of mum and me at our house in Los Angeles just after I was born. She stood out on the balcony, the Pacific Ocean behind her, holding a wrinkled pudgy lump of a baby that would someday grow up to be yours truly. Baby me was not much to look at but mom was gorgeous, even in shorts and a tattered t-shirt. Her eyes were a deep blue. Her blonde hair was clipped back. Her skin was perfect. Quite depressing compared to mine. People say I look like her, but I can't even get the spot off my chin much less look so mature and beautiful.**

Carter smirked and Sadie sent him a look that sent a clear message: _don't test me!_

**{Stop smirking carter]**

**The photo fascinated me because I hardly remember our lives together at all. Nut the main reason I kept the picture was because of mom's t-shirt: one of those life symbols- an ankh.**

**My dead mother wearing the symbol of life. Nothing could have been more depressing. But she smiled at the camera as if she knew a secret. Like my dad and she were sharing a private joke.**

**Something tugged at the back of my mind. That stocky man in a trench coat who'd been arguing with dad across the street- he'd said something about a per ankh.**

**Had he meant an ankh, as in the symbol of life, and if so what was a per?**

Carter rolled his eyes at Sadie while Nico said, "maybe a pear, you know like the fruit." Then he blushed and quietly read the next line.

**I suppose he didn't mean pear as in the fruit.**

**I had an eerie feeling that if I saw the words per ankh written in hieroglyphics, I would know what the meant.**

**I put down the picture of mum and picked up a pencil. I turned over one of my old maths homework papers. I wondered that if I tried to draw the words per ankh, if the right design would just occur to me.**

**As I touched the pencil to the paper the door opened. I whirled and dropped the pencil.**

**The police inspector stood frowning in my doorway. "What are you doing?"**

"**maths." I said.**

**My ceiling was quite low so the inspector had to stoop low to come in. he wore a lint colored suit that matched his gray hair and ashen face.**

"Somebody needs a makeover." I mumbled under my breath.

"**Now then Sadie, I'm inspector chief Williams. Let's have a chat shall we? Sit down."**

**I didn't sit, neither did he, which must have annoyed him because it's hard to look in charge when you're hunched over like a quadismo.**

"**Tell me everything please," he said, "from the time your father came around to get you."**

"**I already told the police at the museum."  
>'Again if you don't mind."<strong>

"I did mind growled Sadie.

**So I told him everything. Why not? His left eyebrow crept higher and higher as I told him the strange parts like the glowing letters and the serpent staff.**

'let me guess, he didn't believe you did he?" asked Percy.

"**Well Sadie. You've got quite the imagination.' He told me.**

"**I'm not lying inspector. And I think your left eyebrow is trying to escape you."**

"ooooo! Burrrn1" cried Travis

**He looked at his eyebrows then scowled.**

Everyone burst out laughing.

"**Now Sadie I'm sure this is very hard on you. I understand you want to protect your father's reputation. But he's gone now-"**

"**You mean through the floor in a coffin."I insisted "he's not dead."**

**The inspector spread his hands. "Sadie I'm very sorry. But we still must find out why he did this act of… well…"**

'**Act of WHAT?"**

**He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Your father destroyed priceless artifacts and himself in the process. We'd very much like to know why."**

**I stared at him. "Are you saying my father is a terrorist? Are you mad?"**

"That's exactly what he told me." Carter growled.

'**We've made calls to some of your father's associates. I understand his behavior has become erratic since your mother's death. He'd become withdrawn and obsessive in his studies, spending more and more time in Egypt-"**

'he's an Egyptologist." Wailed Annebeth.

'**He's a bloody Egyptologist! You should be looking for him, not asking stupid questions."**

'**Sadie," he said. I could hear it in his voice that he was resisting the urge to strangle me. Strangely I get this from a lot of adults.**

"I wonder why?" carter said sarcastically.

'**There are extremist groups in Egypt that object to Egyptian artifacts being kept in other countries' museums. These people might have approached your father. In his state your father became an easy target for them, perhaps. If you've heard him mention any names-"**

**I stormed past him to the window. I was so angry I could hardly think. I refused to believe dad was dead. No no. and a terrorist? Please. Why did adults have to be so thick? They always say to tell the truth but when you do they don't believe you. What's the point?**

"I agree." Said Percy.

**I stared down at the dark street. Suddenly I got that cold tingly feeling, worse than ever. I focused on the dead trees where I'd met dad earlier. Standing there now, in the dim light of the streetlamp, looking up at me was the pudgy bloke in the black trench coat and round glasses and fedora- the man dad called Amos.**

**I suppose I should have felt threatened by an odd man staring up at me in the dark of the night. But his expression was full of concern. And he looked so familiar. It was driving me crazy that I couldn't remember why.**

"You mean crazier than normal?" Carter asked

**Behind me the inspector cleared his throat. "Sadie no one blames you for the attack on the museum. We understand you were dragged into this against your will."**

Sadie snorted

**I turned from the window. "Against my will? I chained the curator in his office."**

**The inspector's eyebrow started to creep up again. "Be that as it may, surely you didn't understand what your father meant to do. Possibly your brother was involved?"**

**I snorted. "Carter? Please."**

"I'm touched and offended at the same time." Carter mumbled.

'**So you are determined to protect him as well? Consider him a proper brother do you?"**

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Percy. But Sadie and carter were too busy glaring off into space.

**I couldn't believe it. I wanted to smack his face.**

All of a sudden there was a mumbling from Clarisse in her sleep.

"nooo! Bad monkey don't touch that! Hey prissy…..Percy whatever I know what your name is…. Shut up or I'll throw you off a cliff!" Clarisse growled.

We all laughed at the look on Percy's face… he was invincible and all, but still. Does that mean you want to be thrown off a cliff?

"**What's that supposed to mean? Because he doesn't look like me?"**

**The inspector blinked. "I only meant-"**

"**I know what you meant! Of course he's my brother!"**

**The inspector held up his hands apologetically, but I was still seething. As much as carter annoyed me, I still hated it when people look at us and assume we weren't related, or looked at my father askance when he said the three of us were a family- like we'd done something wrong. Stupid dr. martin at the museum. The inspector. It happened every time dad, carter, and I were together. Every bloody time!**

"Thanks sis." Carter whispered.

"**I'm sorry Sadie.' The inspector said. "I'm only trying to make sure we separate the innocent from the guilty. It will go much easier for everyone if you cooperate. Any information. Any name. Anything your father might have said."**

"**Amos," I blurted out just to see his reaction. "He met a man named Amos."**

**Inspector Williams sighed. "Sadie, he couldn't have. Surely I know that. We spoke with Amos not one hour ago, on the phone from his home in new York."**

'**he isn't in New York." I insisted. "He's right-"**

**I glanced out the window only to see Amos was gone. Bloody typical.**

"**That's not possible," I said**

"**Exactly."**

"**But he was here. Who is he one of dad's colleagues? How did you know to call him?" I exclaimed.**

"**Really Sadie this acting must stop."**

"**ACTING?" the inspector studied me for a moment then set his jaw as if he'd made a decision.**

"**We've already had the truth from carter. I didn't want to upset you, but he's told us everything. He understands there's no use in protecting your father anymore. You might as well help us, and there will be no charges against you."**

"How dare he. I would never say anything against dad. I didn't tell him anything!" carter said.

'**you shouldn't lie to children!" I yelled hoping my voice carried downstairs.**

'It did. All the police officers looked up at your bedroom door." Carter said.

'**Carter would never say a word against dad and neither will I!"**

**The inspector didn't even have the decency to look embarrassed.**

**He crossed his arms. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Sadie. I'm afraid it's time we went downstairs… to discus consequences with your grandparents." **


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry it's takes me a while to update. I've been sick lately. Anyway…MERRY CHRISTMAS. I hope you get the presents you want. I hope you have an amazing Christmas and a happy new year. I … well ya... You get the picture!**

_**Mont Olympus: the gods (both Egyptian and greek.0 have gathered there to watch the kids read the book. Percy is reading next. And Aphrodite is plotting to heat things up a little between the demigods and the magicians.**_

Aphrodite pov

I think Nico and Sadie should really go together, but I can't believe I'm going to say this but… I'm going to leave them alone for a little to see what happens. There I said it. Anyway we were watching the children read.

**Kidnapped by a not so stranger Sadie**

**I just love family meetings. Very cozy, with the Christmas garlands round the fireplace and a nice pot of tea, and a detective from the Scotland Yard ready to arrest you.**

Hermes burst out laughing. "I love your girl, Osiris." Cried Hermes.

**Carter slumped on the sofa, cradling dad's workbag. I wondered why the police even let him keep it. It should have been evidence or something, but the inspector didn't seem to notice it at all.**

**Carter looked awful- I mean even worse than usual.**

"hey!" carter cried offended. Sadie just looked on.

**Honestly the boy had never been in a proper school, and he dressed like a junior professor, with his khaki trousers and a button down shirt and loafers.**

A red blush appeared on Osiris's green cheeks. "I made him dress like that." He Admitted.

**He's not bad looking, I suppose. He's reasonably tall and fit and his hair isn't hopeless. He's got dad's eyes, and my mates Liz and Emma have even told me that he is **_**hot**_**, which I must take with a grain of salt because (a) he's my brother and (b) my mates are a bit crazed.**

"well this is awkward." Muttered carter.

**When it comes to clothes carter wouldn't have known hot if it bit him in the bum.**

The kids all laughed along with bast and Apollo.

[**Oh don't look at me like that you know it's true carter.]**

**At any rate I shouldn't have been too hard on him. He was taking dad's disappearance worse than I was.**

Osiris looked down guiltily.

**Gran and gramps sat on either side of him looking quiet nervous. The pot of tea and a plate of biscuits sat on the table but no one was having any. Chief inspector Williams ordered me into the only free chair. Then he paced in front of the fireplace importantly. Two more police stood by the door- the police woman from earlier and a big bloke who kept eying the biscuits.**

""**Mr. and Mrs. Faust," the inspector said. "I'm afraid we have two uncooperative children.**

**Gran fidgeted with the hem of her dress. It's hard to belie she's related to mum. Gran is frail and colorless, like a sack person really, mum in the photos always looked so happy and full of life. "They're just children. Surely you can't blame them?" she said**

"**pah." Gramps said. "This is ridlicous, inspector. They aren't responsible!"**

**Gramps is a former rugby player. He has beefy arms, a belly much to big for his shirt, and eyes sunk deep into his face as if someone had punched them in(well actually dad had punched them in but that's another story.)**

"cool." Said Apollo.

**Gramps is quiet scary looking. People usually get out of his way, but inspector Williams didn't seem impressed.**

"**Mr. Faust," he said. "what do you imagine the morning headlines will read? ****'British museum attacked. Rosetta stone destroyed.'**** Your son-in-law-"**

"_**Former son-in-law.**_**" Gramps corrected.**

"**-was likely vaporized in the explosion, or he ran off in which case-"**

"**He didn't run off!" I shouted.**

"**We need to know where he is," the inspector continued. "And the only witnesses, your grandchildren, refuse to tell me the truth."**

"_**We**_** did tell you the truth." Carter said. "Dad isn't dead he sank through the floor."**

**Inspector glanced at gramps as if to say:**_** there you see?**_** Then he turned to carter. "young man. Your father has committed a criminal act. He's left you behind to deal with the consequences-"**

"Curse that man.' Cried Osiris.

"**That's not true!" I snapped, my voice trembling with rage. I couldn't believe dad would intentionally leave us at the mercy of the police. But the idea of him abandoning me- well I as I may have mentioned, that's a bit of a sore point.**

Hermes sighed knowing exactly how Osiris felt, with what happened with Luke and all.

"**Please dear," gran told me. "The inspector is only doing his job."**

"**badly." I said.**

"Ha ha ha." Cried Ares.

"**Let's have some tea." Gran suggested.**

"**No!" carter and I yelled at once which kind of made me feel bad for gran, as she practically wilted into the sofa.**

"**We can charge you." The inspector warned. "We can and we will-"**

**He froze then blinked several times as though he'd forgotten what he was doing.**

**Gramps frowned, "err. Inspector."**

"Was that the mist?" asked Apollo

"No, well maybe that's what you Greeks call it, but we Egyptians call it the glamour." Replied bast through gritted teeth.

"**Yes…" the inspector muttered dreamily. He reached into his pocket and brought out a little blue booklet- an American passport. He threw it on carter's lap.**

"**You're being deported." The inspector announced. "You're to leave the country within 24 hours. If we need to question you further you will be contacted through the FBI."**

**Darter's mouth fell open. He looked at me, and I knew I wasn't imagining how odd this was. The inspector had completely changed direction. I was sure he been just about to arrest us. And then out of the blue he was deporting carter. Even the other police officers looked confused.**

"**Sir," the policewoman asked. "Are you sure-"**

"**Quiet Linley. The two of you may go." **

**The cops hesitated until the inspector made a showing motion with his hands. Then they left closing the door behind them.**

"**Hold on," carter said. "My father's just disappeared and you want me to leave the country?"**

"**Your father is either dead or a fugitive son," the inspector said. "It's already been arranged."**

"**With whom?" gramps demanded. "who authorized this?"**

"**With…" the inspector got that funny blank look again.**

"**With the proper authorities. Believe me it's better than prison."**

**Carter looked too devasted to speak, but before I could feel sorry for him Williams said, "you too miss."**

"Wait doesn't she live in England?" asked posiden

"Yes she dose but, something is obviously changing the inspector's mind." Replied Athena.

**He might as well have hit me with a sledgehammer.**

"Yes!" Clarisse cried. She had apparently woken up from her little nap. "Then we could actually have some action in this stupid book."

"**You're deporting me?" I asked. "I live here."**

"**You're an American citizen. And under the circumstances it's better for you to return home."**

"Wait! So Sadie used to live in America?" questioned Percy.

"Ya seaweed brain, the just said a while back that she used to live in los angles."

"oh." He replied. Athena rolled her eyes. And posiden glared at her.

"ahh young love1 they are so cute together." I said.

Poseidon and Athena glared at me.

**I just stared at him. I couldn't remember any home except this flat. My mates at school, my room, everything I knew was here. **

"Where are you supposed to go?" asked Nico

"**Where am I supposed to go?"**

"**Inspector," gran said her voice trembling. "This isn't fair. I can't belie-"**

"**I'll give you some time to say goodbye." The inspector said then frowned as I f he were baffled by his own actions. "I must be going."**

**This made no sense, and the inspector seamed to realize it , but he walked to the front door anyway. When he opened it I almost jumped out of my chair, because the man in black, Amos, was standing there.**

**He'd lost his trench coat and hat somewhere nut was still wearing the pin stripped suit and round glasses. His braided hair glittered with gold beads.**

**I thought the inspector would say something or espresso surprise, but he didn't even acknowledge him. He walked right past him into the night.**

"**you." Gramps growled. "If I was younger I'd beat you to a pulp."**

"**Hello Mr. and Mrs. Faust," he looked at carter and I as if we were problems to be solved. "It's time we had a talk."**

**Amos made himself right at home. He flopped onto the sofa and poured himself tea. He munched on a biscuit, which was dangerous because gran's biscuits are quite horrid.**

**I thought gramp's head would explode.**

"That would be awesome." Ares.

**His face turned bright red. He came up behind Amos and raised his hand as if he were about to smack him.**

"Do it!" cried Clarisse.

**Amos kept munching on his biscuit.**

"**Please sit down." he told us.**

**And we all sat which was the strangest thing- as if we'd been waiting for his order. Even gramps dropped his hand and moved round to the sofa. He sat next to Amos with a disgusted sigh.**

**Amos sipped his tea and regarded me with some displeasure. That wasn't fair, I thought. I didn't look that bad considering what we'd been through.**

Most of us chuckled at Sadie's little remark.

**Then he looked at carter and grunted.**

"**Terrible thing." He muttered. "But there's no other way. They'll have to come with me."**

"**Excuse me?"I said. "I'm not going anywhere with a strange man with biscuit on his face."**

We all burst out laughing. Between chuckles Anubis said, "good oil' Sadie."

**He did infact have biscuit on his face. But he apparently care because he didn't bother to check.**

"**I'm no stranger Sadie," he said. "Don't you remember?"**

**It was creepy hearing him talk to me in such a familiar way.**

**I felt I should know him. I looked at carter but he looked just as mystified as I was.**

"**No Amos," gran said trembling. "You can't take Sadie. We had an agreement."**

"**Julius broke that agreement tonight," Amos said. "You know you can't care for Sadie anymore- not after what's happened. Their only chance is to come with me."**

"**Why should we go anywhere with you?" carter asked. "You almost got into a fight with dad."**

**Amos looked at the workbag on carter's lap. "I see you kept you father's workbag. That's good you'll need it. As for getting into fights, Julius and I did that quite a lot. If you didn't notice carter, I was trying to stop him from doing something rash. If he'd listened to me we wouldn't be in this situation."**

**I had no idea what he was on about but gramps apparently did.**

"**You and your superstitions," he said. "I told you we want we none of it."**

"What are they talking about?" asked Travis.

**He pointed out the back patio. Through the window I could see the lights shining on the river Thames. It was quite a nice view at night when you couldn't notice how run down some of the buildings were.**

"**Superstition is it?" Amos asked. "And yet you found a place to live on the east side of the river."**

**Gramps turned even redder. "That was ruby's idea. Thought it would protect us. But she was wrong about many things, wasn't she? She trusted you and Julius for one!"**

Osiris growled, "How dare he!"  
><strong>Amos looked unfazed. He smelled interesting- like old timey spices, copal and amber, like incense shops and Covent Garden. <strong>

**He finished his tea and looked straight at gran. "Mrs. Faust, you know what's begun. The police are the least of your worries."**

**Gran swallowed. "You, you changed the inspector's mind you made him deport Sadie."**

"**It was that or sees the children arrested."**

"**Hang on," I said. "You changed the inspector's mind? How?"**

**Amos shrugged. "It's not permanent. In fact we should get to New York in the next hour or so before the inspector begins to wonder why he let you go."**

**Carter laughed. "You can't get from London to new York in an hour. Not even the fastest plane-"**

"**no." ammos agreed. "Not a plane." He turned back to gran as if everything had been settled. "Mrs. Faust you know carter and Sadie have only one safe option. They'll come to my mansion in Brooklyn,. I can protect them there."  
>"You've got a mansion in Brooklyn?" carter asked.<strong>

**Amos gave him an amused smile. "The family mansion. You'll be safe there."**

"**But our dad-"**

"**Is beyond your help now," Amos said sadly. "I'm sorry carter. I'll explain later, but Julius would want you to me safe. For that we must move quickly. I'm afraid I'm all you've got."**

**That was a bit harsh, I though. Carter glanced at gran and gramps. Then he nodded glumly. He knew they didn't want him around.**

"That's so rude." Cried piper.

**He'd always reminded them of dad. And yes, it's a stupid reason not to take in your grandson, but there you are.**

Osiris was fuming.

"**Well carter can do what he wants," I said. "But I live here. And I'm not going off with some stranger, am I?"**

**I looked at gran for help but she was staring at the lace doilies as if they were suddenly quiet interesting.**

"**gramps, surely…"**

**But he wouldn't meet my eyes either. "Can you get them out of the country?"  
>"Hang on." I protested.<strong>

**Amos stood and wiped the crumbs off his jacket. He walked to the patio and stared out at the river. "The police will be back soon. Tell them anything they like. They won't find us."**

"**You're going to kidnap us?" I asked stunned. I looked at carter. 'Do you believe this?"**

**Carter shouldered the workbag. Then he stood like he was ready to go. Possibly he just wanted to get off gran and gramps's flat.**

Carter who had remained silent for some time replied," both."

"**How do you plan to get to New York in a hour?" he asked Amos. "You said not a plane."**

"**no." Amos agreed. He put his finger to the window and traced something in the condensation- another bloody hieroglyphic!**

"**A boat,"  
>I said<strong>

Osiris looked impressed and proud.

**-then I realized I'd translated aloud, which I wasn't supposed to be able to do.**

**Amos peered at me over the rim of his glasses and said, "how did you-'**

"**I mean that last bit looks like a boat," I blurted. "But that can't be what you mean. That's ridiculous." **

"**Look!" carter cried.**

**I pressed in next to him at the patio doors. Down at the quayside, a boat was docked. But not a regular boat, mind you. It was an Egyptian reed boat with 2 torches burning in the front and a big rudder in the back.**

"Wow Sadie. I'm surprised you know what it is." Carter said at that same time Annebeth said, "AMAZING!"

**A black figure stood at the tiller wearing a trench coat and hat- possibly Amos's-.**

**I admit that for once I was at a loss for words.**

"**We are going in that to Brooklyn?" carter asked.**

"**We'd better get started." Amos said.**

**I whirled back to my grandmother. "gran please."**

**She brushed a tear from my cheek and said, "It's for the best my dear. You should take muffin."**

"**Ah yes," Amos said. "We can't forget the cat."**

Bast looked really offended.

**He turned towards the stairs. As if on cue muffin raced down the stairs in a leopard-spotted streak and leaped into my arms. She never dose that.**

"**Who are you?" I Asked Amos. It was clear I was out of options but I at least wanted answers. "We can't just go off with a stranger."**

'**I'm not a stranger. I'm family." Amos smiled.**

**I suddenly remembered his face staring down at me saying "happy birthday Sadie." A memory so distant I'd almost forgotten.**

"**Uncle Amos?" I asked hazily.**

"**That's right Sadie. I'm Julius's brother. Now come along. We have a long way to go."**

**Yaa me I posted 2 chapters in 1 day peace out hommies {{{{{{**


	8. Chapter 8

We Meet the Monkey carter

Hades pov

Hades's thoughts: hum, Nico seems to have taken a liking to this Egyptian girl, Sadie. Osiris's girl. I must remember to have a chat with him about this later.

Clarisse, that dirty daughter of that lump of madness, Ares, was reading next.

**It's carter again. Sorry. **

"Yeah sorry your reading again." Mumbled Sadie.

**We had to turn off the tape for a while because we were being followed by- well, we'll get to that later.**

**Sadie was telling you how we left London right?**

**So anyway, we followed Amos to the weird boat docked at the quayside. I cradled dad's workbag under my arm. I still couldn't believe he was gone. I felt guilty leaving London without him, but I believed Amos about one thing: right now dad was beyond our help. I didn't trust Amos, but I figured if I wanted to find out what happened to dad, I was going to have to go along with him. He was the only one who seemed to know anything.**

**Amos stepped aboard the reed boat. Sadie jumped right on, but I hesitated**

"Of course you did." Cried Sadie.

**I'd seen boats like this on the Nile before and they never seemed very sturdy.**

**It was basically woven together form coils of plant fiber- like a giant floating rug. I figured the torches at the front couldn't be a good idea, because if we didn't sink we'd burn.**

"Well you were optimistic about how that voyage was going to go." Percy said.

"Hey! I was only sighting the obvious problems." Retorted carter.

**At the back the tiller was manned by a little man wearing Amos's trench coat and hat. The hat was shoved down on his head so I couldn't see his face. His hands and feet were lost in the folds of his coat.**

"**How does this thing move?" I asked Amos. "You've got no sail."**

"**Trust me." Amos offered me a hand.**

**The night was cold, but when I stepped on board I suddenly felt warmer, as if the torch light were casting a protective glow over us. In the middle of the boat there was a hut made from woven mats. From Sadie's arms muffin sniffed it and growled.**

"**Take a seat inside," Amos suggested. "The trip might be a little rough."**

"**I'll stand thanks."**

"Well that's not a good idea." Said Isis.

**Sadie nodded at the little guy in the back. "Who's your driver?"**

**Amos acted as if he hadn't heard the question. "Hang on everyone!" he nodded at the steersman and the boat lurched forward.**

**The feeling was hard to describe. You know that tingle in the pit of your stomach when you're on a rollercoaster and it goes into freefall? It was kind of like that except we weren't falling, and the feeling didn't go away.**

"It sounds a little bit like shadow traveling." Muttered Nico.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" asked Sadie.

"Ooh. A nothing." Nico said blushing at Sadie's attention.

**The boat moved with astounding speed. The lights of the city blurred, and then we were swallowed in a thick fog. Strange sounds echoed in the dark: slithering and hissing-**

Sadie and carter shivered.

**-distant screams, voices whispering in languages I didn't understand.**

"I understood them. You don't want to know what they said." Sadie said with another shiver. Nico looked sympathetically at her. Kind of like he wanted to comfort her. Hmmmm.

**The tingling turned to nausea. The sounds grew louder, until I was about to scream myself. Then suddenly the boat slowed. The noises stopped and the fog dissipated. City lights came back brighter than before.**

**Above us loomed a bridge, much taller than any bridge in London. My stomach did a slow roll. To the left I saw a familiar skyline- the Chrysler building and the empire state building.**

"NEW YORK BABY!" cried Apollo.

Artimes rolled her eyes.

"**Impossible," I said. "That's new York."**

**Sadie looked as green as I felt. She was still cradling muffin whose eyes were closed. The cat seemed to be purring. "It can't be," Sadie said. "We only traveled a few minutes."**

**And yet there we were, sailing up the east river, right under the Williamsburg Bridge. We glided up to a dock on the Brooklyn side of the river. In front of us was an industrial yard filled with piles of scrap metal and old construction equipment.**

'That is horrible! You humans and your pollution! Can't you clean up after your selves?"

Cried Grover, taking in the horror of the new scene.

**In the center of it all rose a factory warehouse heavily painted with graffiti and boarded up windows.**

"**That is not a mansion."Sadie said. Her powers of perception are really amazing.**

"**Look again." Amos pointed to the top of the building.**

"**How… how did you…" my voice failed me. I wasn't sure why I hadn't seen it before, but now it was obvious: a five story mansion perched on top of the warehouse's roof, like another layer of cake. "You couldn't build a mansion up there!"**

"That's amazing! The architecture must have been a sight to see." Breathed Annebeth and Athena. Like mother like daughter.

"**Long story," Amos said. "But we needed a private location."**

"**And is this the east shore?" Sadie asked. "You said something about that in London- my grandparents living on the east shore."**

**Amos smiled. "Very good Sadie. In ancient times, the east bank of the Nile was always the side of the living, the side where the sun rises. The dead were buried east of the river. It was considered bad luck, even dangerous to live there. The tradition is still strong… among our people."**

"**Our people?" I asked but Sadie muscled with another question. **

"**So why can't you live in Manhattan?" she asked.**

We Greek gods tensed.

**Amos's brow furrowed as he looked across at the empire state building. "Manhattan has other problems. Other gods. It's best we stay separate."**

"**Other what?" Sadie demanded.**

"She is too curious for her own good." Said zuse.

"She has been and always will be like that." Said Osiris.

"**Nothing." Amos walked past us to the steersman. He plucked off the man's hat and coat- and there was no one underneath. The steersman simply wasn't there. Amos put on his fedora folded his coat over his arm then waved toward the metal stair case that wound all the way up to side of the** **warehouse up to the mansion on the roof. "All ashore," he said. "And welcome to the twenty-first Nome!"**

"**Gnome?"I asked as we followed him up the stairs. "Like one of those little runty guys?"**

"**Heavens no." Amos said. "I hate gnomes. They smell horrible."**

All the demigods burst out laughing.

"**But you said-" **

"_**Nome, **_**n-o-m-e. As in a district, a region. The term is from ancient times when Egypt was divided into forty- two provinces. Today the system is a little bit different. We've gone global. The world is divided into three hundred and sixty nomes. Egypt of course is the first. Greater new York is the twenty-first."**

**Sadie glanced at me and whirled her finger around her temple.**

"**No Sadie," Amos said without even looking back. "I'm not crazy. There is much we need to learn."**

"busted." Muttered Hermes.

**We reached the top of the stairs. Looking up at the mansion, it was hard to understand what I was seeing. The house was at least fifty feet tall, made of limestone blocks and steel framed windows. There were hieroglyphics engraved around the windows, and the walls were light up so it looked like a cross between a modern museum and an ancient temple.**

"That's amazing." Annebeth breathed.

**But the weirdest thing was that if I looked away the whole building seemed to disappear. I tried several times just to be sure. If I looked for the mansion out of the corner of my eye it wasn't there. I had to force my eyes to refocus on it, and even that took a lot of will power. Amos stopped in front of the door which was the size of a garage door with no visible handle or lock and said, "after you carter."**

"**Um how do I-"**

"**How do you think?"**

**Great another mystery. I was about to suggest we ram Amos's head into the door and see if that would work.**

Several people burst out laughing at that remark.

**Then I looked at the door again, and got the strangest feeling. I stretched out my arm. Slowly, without touching the door, I raised my hand and the door followed my movement- sliding upwards into the ceiling.**

"That's cool." Said Nico.

**Sadie looked stunned. "How…"**

"**I don't know," I admitted. "Motion sensor maybe."**

"**Interesting." Amos said. "Not the way I would have done it, but good. Remarkably good."**

"**Thanks, I think."**

**Sadie tried to go in first, but as soon as she stepped on the threshold muffin wailed and almost clawed her way out of Sadie's arms.**

Sadie sent a glare at bast, but no one seemed to notice.

**Sadie stumbled backwards. "What was that about, cat?"**

"**Oh of course," Amos said. "My apologies." He put his hand on the cat's head and said very formally, "you may enter."**

"**The cat needs permission?" I asked.**

All of the demigods looked really confused.

"**Special circumstances." Amos said, which wasn't much of an explanation, but he walked inside without another word. We followed and this time muffin stayed quite.**

"**Oh my god…" Sadie's jaw dropped.**

"GOD_**S!**_" we gods all instantly corrected.

**She craned her neck to look at the ceiling and I thought her gum might fall out of her mouth.**

Some people chuckled but instantly shut their yappers when Sadie looked at them.

"**Yes," Amos said. "This is the great room."**

**I could see why he called it that. The cedar beamed ceiling was four stories high, held up by stone pillars that were engraved with hieroglyphics. A weird assortment of musical instruments and ancient Egyptian weapons decorated the wall.**

Ares's girl perked up a bit at the mention of weapons but deflated again when she discovered they wouldn't be using them any time soon.

**Three levels of balconies ringed the room, with doors all looking out on the main area. The fireplace was big enough to park a car in, with a plasma-screen TV above the mantle and massive leather sofas on either side. **

"Awesome place." Breathed Travis.

**On the floor was a snake skin rug, except it was forty feet long and fifteen feet wide-bigger than any snake.**

Bast looked as though she were about to protest about the snake thing but carter said, "I know there are bigger snakes, I didn't know at the time."

**Outside, through the glass walls, I could see a terrace that wrapped around the house. It had a swimming pool, a dining area, and a blazing fire pit. At the other end the the Great Room was a set of double doors engraved with the eye of hours, and chained with a half a dozen padlocks. I wondered what could possibly be behind them**.

**But the real showstopper was the statue at the center of the great room. It was thirty feet tall, made of black marble. I could tell it was it was of an Egyptian god because it had the head of an animal- like a stork or a crane, with a really long neck and an extremely long beak.**

**The god was dressed ancient style in a kilt, sash and neck collar. He held a scribe stylist in one hand, and an open scroll in the other. As if he had just written hieroglyphics inscribed there.**

"So it was alive?" cried Connor in amazement.

"No you idiot, it was made to look like he had just written it there." Sighed Annebeth.

At the same time we gods were all looking at Thoth, because we knew the statue was of him.

**There: an ankh-the Egyptian looped cross- with a rectangle traced around its top.**

"**That's it." Sadie exclaimed. "Per Ankh."**

**I stared at her in disbelief. "Alright, how can you read that?"**

"**I don't know," she said. "But it's obvious? The top one is shaped like the floor plan of a house."**

"**How did you get that? It's just a box."**

"You're just mad because I knew what it was because I'm awesome like that." Sadie teased.

**The thing was, she was right**.

"Oh. My. Gods. Carter just admitted it was right!" exclaimed Sadie.

**I recognized the picture. It was supposed to be a simplified version of a house with a doorway, but that wouldn't be obvious to most people, especially people named Sadie.**

Sadie looked on brushing the comment aside like a piece of stray unwanted lint that had somehow appeared on her shirt sleeve. Osiris looked proud of Sadie for seeing what the hieroglyphic meant.

**Yet she looked absolutely positive,**

"**It's a house." She insisted. "And the bottom of the picture is an ankh, the symbol of life. Per Ankh- the House of Life."**

"**Very good Sadie." Amos looked impressed. "And this is a statue of the only god still allowed in the house of life- atlas normally. Do you recognize him carter?"**

**Just then it clicked. The bird was an ibis, an Egyptian river bird. "Thoth." I said. "The god of knowledge. He invented writing."**

"**Indeed." Amos said.**

"**Why the animal heads?" Sadie asked. "All those Egyptian gods have animal heads. They look so silly."**

Anubis smirked slightly.

"**They don't normally appear that way." Amos shook his head. "Not in real life."**

"**Real life?" I asked. "You sound like you've actually met them."**

**Amos's expression didn't reassure me. He looked as if he were remembering something unpleasant. "The gods could appear in many forms- usually fully human or fully animal, but occasionally in a hybrid form like this. They are primal forces, you understand, bridges, between humanity and nature. They are depicted with animal heads to show that they exist in two different worlds at once. Do you understand?"**

"Not even a little." Said Nico

"**Not even a little." Sadie said.**

Nico and Sadie blushed and looked away from each other.

"**m**_**mm**_**." Amos didn't sound surprised. "Yes we have much training to do. At any rate, the god before you, Thoth, founded the house of life, for which this mansion is the regional headquarters for. Or at least it used to be. I'm the only member left in the twenty-first Nome. Or I was until you came along."**

"**Hang on," I had so many questions I could hardly think where to start. "What is the house of life? Why is Thoth the only god allowed there, and why are-"**

Some of the Egyptians looked a little provoked at the mention at the house of life and why most of them were not allowed there.

"**Carter, I understand how you feel," Amos smiled sympathetically. "But these things are better discussed in daylight. You need to get some sleep, and I don't want you to have nightmares."**

"**You think I can sleep?"**

"**mrow." Muffin stretched in Sadie's arms and let loose a huge yawn.**

"When do we meet the monkey, like the chapter name says?" whined Connor.

**Amos clapped his hands. "Khufu!"**

**I thought he sneezed, because Khufu is a weird name, but then a little dude about three feet tall with gold fur and a purple t-shirt came clambering down the stairs.**

**It took me a moment to realize it was a baboon wearing a Lakers jersey.**

**The baboon did a flip and landed in front of us.**

"Fancy that! It's trained." Snorted Mr. D.

**He showed off his fangs and made that noise that was half roar, half belch. His breath smelled like nacho flavored burritos.**

"Delightful!" squealed Aphrodite sarcastically.

**All I could think to say was, "the Lakers are my home team!"**

"Wow carter." Grover said.

**The baboon slapped his head with both his hands and belched again.**

"**Oh Khufu likes you," Amos said. "You'll get along famously."**

Carter blushed as everyone chuckled.

"**Right," Sadie said looking quite dazed. "You've got a monkey butler. Why not?"**

Even most of the gods at least chuckled at this.

**Muffin purred in Sadie's arms as if the baboon didn't bother her at all.**

"**agh." Khufu grunted at me.**

**Amos chuckled. "He wants to go one-on-one with you to ah, see your game."**

**I shifted from foot to foot. "Um, yeah. Sure. Maybe tomorrow. But how can you-"**

"**Carter, I'm afraid you have a lot to get used to," Amos said. "But if you're going to survive and save your father, you're going to need to get some rest."**

"**Sorry," Sadie said, "did you say 'survive and save our father'? Could you expand on that?"**

"**tomorrow." Amos said. "We will begin your orientation in the morning. Khufu show them to their rooms."**

"**aggah!" the baboon grunted. He turned and waddled up the stairs. Unfortunately the Lakers jersey didn't completely cover his multicolored rear.**

Everyone winced at the uninvited mental picture of that image!

**We were about to follow when Amos said, "carter, the workbag please. It's best if I lock it in the library."**

**I hesitated. I'd almost forget the bag was on my shoulder, but it was all I had left of our father. We didn't even have our luggage-**

Aphrodite gasped. "But that means they didn't have a spare change of clothes! Oh those poor souls."

**Because it was locked up in the British museum. Honestly, I was surprised the police hadn't taken the workbag too, but none of them seemed to notice it.**

"**You'll get it back," Amos promised. "When the time is right."**

**He asked nicely enough, but something in his eyes told me I didn't have a choice. I handed over the bag, and Amos took the bag gingerly as if it were full of explosives.**

"That would have been awesome!" Hermes cried out with glee.

"**See you in the morning." He turned and strode up to the chained up doors. They unlatched themselves and opened up just enough for Amos to slip through without showing us anything on the other side. The chains locked up again behind him.**

**I looked at Sadie unsure what to do.**

"Of course he looked at me." Sadie muttered.

**Staying by ourselves in the great room with the creepy statue of Thoth didn't seem like much fun.**

"HEY!" Thoth moaned, offended.

**So we followed Khufu up the stairs.**

"Not that that was a great view either." Carter said as everyone bobbed their heads in agreement.

**Sadie and I got adjoining rooms on the third floor and I've got to admit the rooms were way cooler than any I'd stayed in before.**

"And I've stayed more places than I can remember, with dad traveling and all." Carter added.

**I had my own kitchenette, fully stocked with my favorite snacks: ginger ale-**

"Isn't that an old person's soda?" questioned Percy, Nico, Travis, and Connor in unison.

"That's exactly what I said!" Sadie exclaimed.

**{No Sadie- it's not an old person's soda! Be quiet!]- Twix and skittles. It seemed impossible- how did Amos know what I liked? The TV, stereo, and computer systems were totally high-tec. The bathroom was stocked with my regular brand of toothpaste, deodorant, everything.**

"okay, that's just plain weird!" said Grover.'

**The king size bed was awesome too, except the pillow was a little strange. Instead of a cloth pillow, it was an ivory headrest like I'd seen in Egyptian tombs.**

"Okay, 1, that's weird. 2, who would want to sleep on something they'd seen in a tomb?" Percy asked with a sideway glance at Nico. He just shrugged and smirked.

**It was decorated with lions and (of course) hieroglyphics.**

**The room even had a deck that looked out onto the New York harbor, with views of Manhattan and the statue of liberty in the distance, but the sliding glass doors were locked shut somehow. That was my first indication that something was wrong.**

**I turned to look for Khufu, but he was gone. The door to my room was shut. I tried to open it but was shut.**

"That's creepy." Whispered Annebeth snuggling closer to Percy.

"I know. First I thought it was just Amos's preparation for us coming or him Sadie proofing the house. Then I thought, no that was a little much even for Sadie!" carter replied with a glare from Sadie.

**A muffled voice came from the next room, "carter?"**

"**Sadie?" I tried the door to her adjoining room, but it was locked too.**

"**We're prisoners," she said. "Do you think Amos would… I mean can we trust him?"**

Osiris sighed, "I have taught her to be suspicious of everyone, even her own uncle, through neglect." He looked depressed.

**After all I'd seen today, I didn't trust anything-**

Osiris sighed deeper.

**But I could hear the fear in Sadie's voice. It triggered an unfamiliar feeling in me, like I needed to reassure her. The idea seemed ridiculous, Sadie had always seemed so much braver than me- doing what she wanted, never afraid of the consequences.**

"Thanks carter." Sadie whispered.

**I was the one who got scared.**

Clarisse snorted.

**But right now I felt like I needed to play a role I hadn't played in a long, long time: big brother.**

"I guess it really had been a really long time since one of those rare moments." Sadie croaked.

"**It'll be okay," I tried top sound confident. "Look if Amos wanted to hurt us he would have done it by now. Try to get some sleep."**

"**Carter?"**

"**Yeah?"**

"**It was magic, wasn't it? What happened to dad at the museum, Amos's boat, the house, all of it."**

"**I think so."**

**I could hear her sigh. "Good. I'm not going mad then!"**

"**Don't let the bed bugs bite." I called. I realized I hadn't said that since we lived in LA, when mom was alive.**

"You guys lived in LA?" asked Grover trying to lighten the mood. Sadie nodded a yes.

"**I miss dad," she said. "I hardly ever saw him, I know… but I miss him."**

**My eyes got a little teary, but I took a deep breath. I was not going to go all weak. Sadie needed me. Dad needed us.**

"**We'll find him." I told her. "Pleasant dreams."**

**I listened, but the only thing I heard was muffin scampering around and exploring her new space. At least she didn't seem unhappy.**

**I got ready for bed, and crawled in. the covers were comfortable and warm, but the pillow was just too weird. I put it on the floor and went to sleep without it. It gave me neck cramps.**

**My first big mistake!**

"Wasn't too weird for me." Sadie mumbled.

"Well anyway end of chapter!" Percy announced.

"Why don't we all get up and move around a little." Suggested piper. They all agreed.

_**Nico pov**_

We all got up and stretched our legs. Sadie went off in one direction and I followed her. She must have heard me because she turned around and said, "Hello Nico!"

"Hey Sadie." I said trying to stay cool.

"You want to walk around a little bit with me?"

"Sure. I heard there are rooms we didn't know about. There's apparently a training room, a library, a pool, an indoor park, and an endless hallway, that's supposed to have lots pictures from our pasts, all of us, in it."

"You want to go to the hallway? I'd like to see some of your past!"She said. Then she must have realized what she said and blushed.

"Yeah. I'd like to see if it's possible that you're not actually Greek, and a daughter of Aphrodite!" I countered. CRUD! Why did I just say that? Aphrodite must be messing with my head!

We were both blushing but we found a sign that pointed to the 'hallway of eternity'. We strolled toward it possibly a little too close to each other than we should be!

_**Hey people of the world. Here's my latest update! Hope ya like it. I will possibly be adding Anubis sometime soon. I'm going to have a huge nicoxsadie scene in the next chap. Please leave some comments on what you want to happen in the 'hallway of eternity'. What are some of each other's past images you might want them to see? What do you want to happen? I've already got some ideas that I'm going to use. I WON'T WRITE THE NEXT CHAPTER UNTIL I GET ATLEAST THREE IDEAS/ REVIEWS! So review away!**_

_**{{{{{Mustache}}}}}}} Cackles cackle cackle. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU! HAPPY HAUNAKAH TOO! HAPPY EVERY OTHER HOLIDAY YOU CELEBRATE! I HOPE YOU GET THE PRESENTS YOU WANT!**_

_**Random joke my dad always tells: **_a dog walked into a bar and said, 'I looking for the guy who shot my paw!' (Yeah double meaning joke!)

_**Another random joke: **_a baby seal walked into a club.

(They used to club seals to kill them and get the skin or something like that! Another double meaning joke!) My dad was so proud of me that I memorized his lame jokes! Love you dad, but this could be a bad sign. We have the same sense of humor! Seriously it's true! My uncle wants me to watch all these old movies; my godmother told me he's trying to turn me into a boy! I fear its working!

Peace out! {{{ }}}}}


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm soooooooooo sorry! I know I promised you guys to update ASAP when I got three reviews! I did! I REALLY DID! I started a chapter and got pretty and then we had my uncle over to our house for dinner. I was telling I'm about the Kane books. He was interested in them, so I …I lent the first book to him…in a complete stroke of idiocy. I'm not sure when he will return it. So I'm really sorry! Please forgive me. ETHIER THIS STORY WILL BE ON A TEMPORARY HALT OR YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME! So I anyone can tell me where I can find the next part of the Kane book 1. Check my story to see where I left off and see if you can find the next part. AGAIN, REALLY SORRY. I'm trying to find a way to continue this. I PROMISE THAT THIS STORY **_**WILL**_**continue! Please bear with me! I'll post what I have written already. PLEASE HELP!****((())))))&&&&&&^^^^^^%%%%$$$$#####!"":**

**Sincerely and with much regret, **

**Mustache lover :{) :{) ;{)**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Third Person Pov**_

Sadie and Nico strolled down the seemingly endless hall of Eternity. There were sections for each mortal in the group. (So that excludes Apollo and Bast)

First was the 'Percy Section, then came the 'Carter Section', then came the 'Grover Section' ,then the 'Connor Section. After that was the 'Travis Section, and Finally the 'Nico section'! There were some pictures of Baby Nico in diapers which led to Nico blushing madly and dragging Sadie quickly through that part. Then there were images of Bianca and Nico, which led to Nico getting a little teary eyed. That in turn led to Sadie doing her best to comfort him. Then there was the time when Bianca and Nico were first found by Grover, Percy, and Annebeth. That even included the scene with Dr. Thorn, which led to a horrified look from Sadie.

There were many scenes from the war, including those from when Nico was mad at Percy, which caused Nico to look at the tiled floor guiltily. Finally, there was the scene where Nico stormed in to save Percy t with his army of the dead.

"AWSOME! Nico, that is so cool." Exclaimed Sadie. Nico smiled gratefully from her praise.

Next came the 'Annebeth section', and the 'Piper section', and then the 'Clarisse section'. (This was very disturbing in its own right!)

Eventually they walked into the 'Sadie section'. Nico sent a boyish grin in Sadie's direction as they passed her childhood pictures. There were pictures of Sadie screaming as her brother twirled her around in the desert at a dig site. There were pictures of Sadie and carter fighting for their mother's attention. There were lots of pictures of Sadie throwing ice cream or rocks at carter, and then her getting scolded by her dad for it. Nico's face turned into an angry grimace when he saw what happened after her mom died.

There was a series of pictures describing how horrid Sadie felt after her father left her in London. She felt abandoned, lonely, like an outsider, and perfectly unloved. They were some the exact feelings Nico had after Bianca died. Sadie looked depressed about that part so Nico put his arm gently on her shoulders and pulled her close.

The whole time he was thinking: _what the hades is wrong with me? Aphrodite must be messing with me!_

Finally they found a hallway branching out from the hall of eternity that took them back to the min story room. Almost everyone else was back so they hurried up and sat down. Then the last few people filled in (Annebeth and Percy…hmmm.)

_**Bast Pov**_

_I hadn't left the room, even when everyone else left. I wasn't leaving. I didn't want Apollo to do something to my seat while I was gone. I still hate that stupid, selfish, good-for-nothing, annoying, stupid (did I say that already?) Greek god! Ever since the incident….we have not been on good terms!_

_Growl. Wow, was that me? I didn't realize I was sooooooo mad! Well any way I saw my kitten, Sadie, walk in with hades's kid, Nico. They looked pretty happy. Aww that's so cute. It's so good that Sadie's moved on from Walt since he's with Jaz and all now. And it's even better that she's not with THE DOG anymore!_

_Well any way, everyone finally gathered in the room so I volunteered to read next. I picked up the book and began:_

**Chapter 6: breakfast with a crocodile**

**Carter**

**How to describe it? Not a nightmare, it was much more real and frightening.**

**As I slept I felt myself go weightless . I drifted up and turned to see my own sleeping form.**

"mega creepy." Muttered connor.

_**I'm dying**_**. I thought.**

Sadie scoffed at this.

**But that wasn't it either. I wasn't a ghost. I had a shimmering new golden form with wings instead of arms. I was some kind of bird. [no, Sadie. Not a chicken. Will you let me tell the story please?]**

"I'm telling you, carter, it was a chicken." Mumbled Sadie. She received a glare from carter that could not scare a kitten.

"Well….. I was going to say that you guys have dreams just like half-bloods do, but I don't think we turn into chickens. I mean this is a dream right?" asked Percy.

"Yes it is a dream…" muttered carter…still mad that everyone thought it was a chicken!

**I knew I wasn't dreaming because I don't dream in color. I certainly don't dream in all five senses. The room smelled faintly of jasmine. I could hear the carbonation bubbles pinging in the can of ginger ale I'd opened on my nightstand.**

Sadie gave carter a disappointed look.

**I could feel a cold wind ruffling through my feathers,**

Everyone chuckled.

**And I realized the windows were open. I didn't want to leave but a strong current pulled me out of the room like a leaf in a storm..**

**The lights of the mansion faded below me. The skyline of new York blurred and disappeared . I shot through the mist and darkness, strange voices whispering all around me. My stomach tingled like it had ealier that night on Amo's barge. The mist cleared and I was in a different place.**

**I floated above a barren mountain. Far below a grid of city lights stretched across the valley floor.**

"where are you?" all the demigods echoed.

No one answered, and sadie only grimaced.

**Defenintaly not new was night time, but I could tell I was in the desert. The wind was so dry, the skin on my face like paper. And I know this doesn't make any sense but my face felt like my normal face, as if that part of me hadn't transformed into a bird. [fine sadie call me the carter-headed chicken. Happy?]**

Everyone burst out laughing, including Apollo and myself.

**Below me on a ridge stood two figures. They didn't seem to notice me , and I realized I wasn't glowing anymore. In fact I was pretty much invisible, floating in the darkness. I couldn't make out the two figures clearly, only enough to tell they weren't human. Staring harder I could tell that one was short, squat, and hairless, with slimy skin that glistened in the starlight- like an amphibian standing on its hinde legs.**

"EWWW! That is DISCUSTING!" screeched piper in utter horror. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

**The other was tall and skinny like a scarecrow, with rooster claws instead of feet. I couldn't see his face very well, but it looked red and moist and….well let's just say that I was glad I couldn't see any better.**

"**where is he?" the toadie one croaked.**

"**he hasn't found a permanent host yet," chied the rooster footed one. "he can only appear for a short time."**

"**you're sure this is the place?"**

"**yes fool! He'll be here as soon as—" **

**A firery form appeared on the ridge. The two creatures fell to the ground, groveling in the dirt, and I prayed like crazy that I really was invisible.**

"okay…..your dreams are way creepy. But really realistic. A lot like ours." Percy stated.

"**my lord!" the toad said.**

**Even in the dark the newcomer was hard to see—just the sillouete of a man outlined in flames.**

"**what do they call this place?" the man asked.**

"that's what I'd like to know groaned Connor.

"sorry, no spoilers." Sadie said while waggiling her pointer finger in mock seriousness.

**And as soon as he spoke, I knew for sure that this was the guy who'd attacked my dad at the museum.**

"oh no! not that guy again!" groaned piper.

**All the fear I felt at the museum came rushing back, paralyzing me.**

Clarisse sent carter a look that cleary said: _Whimp! Whimp!_

**I remembered trying to pick up that stupid rock to throw, but I hadn't even been able to do that. I had compeletly failed my dad.**

I gave him a sympathetic look so quickly that no one else caught it.

"**my lord," rooster foot said. "this mountain is called camelback. The city is called Phionex."**

"do all evil dudes make their headquarters on mountains? More specifically on a mountain in the western unoted states?" exclaimed nico.

"why do you say that?" sadie asked obviously confused.

well when kronos tried to take over the world, he set up his base on a mountain in Califorina." Nico . Everyone else smiled and laughed in agreement.

**The evil man laughed- a booming sound like thunder.**

"**phionex 1 how appropriate. And the desret, so much like home. All it needs is to be scourned of life.**

Apollo's face withered in discust. "I hate evil dudes."

"well that's _the only_thing we have agreed on in a few melinia." i spat. Apollo wiggled his eyebrows at me and i hissed menacingly in return.

**The desert should be a steril place, don't you think?"**

"**oh yes my lord." The toadie agreed. "but what of the other four?"**

"**one is already entombed**

Sadie, carter, and I all grimaced.

**The foery man said. " the second is weak. She will be easily manipulated. That only leaves two, and they will be dealt with soon enough."**

Saide and carter shared a knowing look. I noticed nico glance worridley in sadie's direction. Wow. Could he be more obvious?

"**er.. how?" the toadie asked.**

"oh…wrong move." Muttered grover.

**The fiery man glowed brighter. "you are an inquistative little tadpole aren't you?" he pointed at the toad and the poor creature's skin began to steam.**

Piper closed her eyes tightly and pluged her ears. "told you so." Remarked grover.

"**no," the toad begged. "N-o-o-o-o!"**

**I could hardly watch. I don't want to describe it. But if you've heard what happens when cruel kids pour salt on snails you'll have a pretty good idea what happened to the toadie. Soon there was nothing left.**

**Rooster foot took a nervous step back. I couldn't blame him.**

"**We will build my temple here," the fiery man said as if nothing had happened.**

I nudged piper to signal that it was over and she uncovered her ears and cautiously opened her eyes.

"**This mountain shall serve as my place of worship. When it is complete, I will summon the greatest storm ever known. I will cleanse everything. **_**Everything.**_

"Yeah. _Cleanse,_ that's the way to say it. Much more subtle than saying: _I will destroy all life and I can't wait to do it!"_ muttered Annebeth.

"**Yes my lord," rooster foot agreed quickly. " and ,ah, if I may suggest, my lord, to increase your power…" the creature bowed, and scraped and moved forward as if he wanted to whisper in the fiery man's ear.**

**Just when I thought rooster Foot was going to become fried chicken for sure,**

"UGHH! FRIED CHICKEN. I am soooooo hungry, I could eat a cow." Moaned Travis.

"Oh, okay. I'll summon some food." I responded. Sadie and carter screamed no but I summoned some friskes anyway. I also summoned some fancy feast just in case we had a mix of tastes. I looked up into the faces of the demigods to see them completely astonished. Carter face palmed.

"Oh right. Sorry. I forgot humans don't eat cat food. You should really give it a try, it's fabulous." I said as I made the extremely delicious , enticing friskes reduce in numbers until there was just enough left for me. (that wasn't really enough but I didn't want ot seem likr a pig. But after all….you can NEVER, I repeat, NEVER have to many firiskes.)

I replaced the friskes with grilled cheese sandwiches and cokes. I also summoned some veggies and fruit for the sides. I even summoned a desert cart, which was stocked with all the dishes I'd seen lately in _life magazine. _And _people magazine too._ (A/N: do those magazines have recipes in them?)

Carter, Sadie, all of the demigods, and the retched _Apollo_, were all satisfied with the meal. Several of the demigods *travis, connor, and percy,* all proceded to beltch quiet loudly after their delicious meal summoned by your's truly.

We soon took up the task of reading. And by _we_ I mean _me_! I began:

**He said something to the fiery dude that I coulsn't make out, and the fiery man burned brighter.**

"**excellent! If you can do this, you will be rewarded. If not…." **

"**I understand my lord."**

"I don't like the soud of that." Muttered the sea spawn.

"**go then," the fiery man said. "unleash our forces. Start with the longnecks.**

"the what?" cried percy. Annebeth and Apollo groaned. They knew what ws fooing to happen.

**That should soften them up. Collect the younglings and bring them to me. I want them alive before they have time to learn their powers. Do not fail me."**

"**no lord."**

"**phoenix," the fiery man mused. "I like that very much."**

**He swept his hands across the horizon as if he were imagining the city in flames**

"**soon I will rise from your ashes. It will be a lovely birth day present."**

I paused. Apollo looked at me for comformation and I nodded grimly. The rest of the room was silent, piper piped up, " well, keep reading! Don't ;eave me hangin!"

So I smiled and contineed.

**I woke with my heart punding back in my own body. I felt hot**

Sadie snickered. "you wouldn't know hot if it bit you in the bum." She said as she quoted what she said in the book. Carter glared back at her but she just continued to chuckle so I kept reading.

**As if the fiery man were starting to burn me. Then I realized there was a cat on my chest.**

Everyone chuckled, and I glared at carter.

**Muffin stared at me, her eyes half closed. "mrow."**

"**how did you get in?" I muttered.**

**I sat up. For a second I wasn't sure where I was. Some hotel in another city? I almost called for my dad… and then I remembered.**


	11. Chapter 11

_**I would like to give my ultimate praise to magic-skittles-sparkles for being THE FIRST to respond to my urgently posted**____**new chapters. Not only did magic-skittles-sparkles respond, but said person also gave me a link to a story much farther along than mine. This meaning they have chapters past mine. So that I can use their bold parts (the part they took from the story) to continue my story. Thank you a million and one times to magic-skittles-sparkles for the help I will continue ASAP. Also thank you to mu loyal followers. **_


	12. Chapter 12

**STILL BAST POV**

**Yesterday. The museum. The sarcophagus.**

**It all crashed down on me so hard I could barely breathe.**

_**Stop**_**, I told myself. **_**You don't have time for grief.**_** And this is going to sound weird, but the voice in my head almost sounded like a different person—older, stronger. Either that was a good sign,**

**or I was going crazy.**

"I pick the second choice." Said sadie.

_**Remember what you saw,**_** the voice said. **_**He's after you. You have to be ready.**_

Saide waved her hands in a motion like she was invisoning the future and said, " I know who speaks to you in your head boy. For just twenty million dollars I can share this information with you."

"oh shut up! I know now." Said carter, agitated.

**I shivered. I wanted to believe I'd just had a bad dream, but I knew better. I'd been through too much in the last day to doubt what I'd seen. Somehow, I'd actually left my body while I slept. I'd **_**been**_** to Phoenix—thousands of miles away. The fiery dude was there. I hadn't understood much of what he'd said, but he'd talked about sending his forces to capture the younglings. Gee, wonder who that could be?**

Sadie and carter shared a knowing look with me.

**Muffin jumped off the bed and sniffed at the ivory headrest, looking up at me as if she were trying to tell me something.**

"I was!" I muttered angrily. Percy heard me and stared at me questioningly. I did my best to ignore him, kowing it would all be explained later.

"**You can have it," I told her. "It's uncomfortable."**

**She butted her head against it and stared at me accusingly. "**_**Mrow**_**."**

"**Whatever, cat."**

I hissed at carter.

**I got up and showered. When I tried to get dressed, I found that my old clothes had disappeared in the night. Everything in the closet was my size, but way different than what I was used to—baggy drawstring pants and loose shirts, all plain white linen, and robes for cold weather, kind of what the **_**fellahin**_**, the peasants in Egypt, wear. It wasn't exactly my style.**

"do you even _have _a style?" mocked sadie.

**Sadie likes to tell me that I don't **_**have**_** a style. She complains that I dress like I'm an old man—button-down shirt, slacks, dress shoes.**

Sadie and nico made faces at each other.

**Okay, maybe.**

"oh, he admits it." Crowed sadie.

**But here's the thing. My dad had always drilled into my head that I had to dress my best.**

**I remember the first time he explained it to me. I was ten. We were on our way to the airport in Athens, and it was like 112 degrees outside, and I was complaining that I wanted to wear shorts and a T-shirt. Why couldn't I be comfortable? We weren't going anywhere important that day—just traveling.**

**My dad put his hand on my shoulder. "Carter, you're getting older. You're an African American man.**

Annebeth frowned, obviously not liking where this was going.

**People will judge you more harshly, and so you must always look impeccable."**

"**That isn't fair!" I insisted.**

"**Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same," Dad said. "Fairness means everyone gets what they need. And the only way to get what you need is to make it happen **_**yourself**_**. Do you understand?"**

"he sounds like chrion." Travis commented.

**I told him I didn't. But still I did what he asked—like caring about Egypt, and basketball, and music. Like traveling with only one suitcase. I dressed the way Dad wanted me to, because Dad was usually right. In fact i'd never known him to be wrong... until the night at the British Museum.**

_And the time with ruby in Britain at the obelisk_! I thought.

**Anyway, I put on the linen clothes from the closet. The slipper shoes were comfortable, though I they'd be much good to run in.**

"no kidding" muttered carter.

**The door to Sadie's room was open, but she wasn't there.**

**Thankfully my bedroom door wasn't locked anymore. Muffin joined me and we walked downstairs, passing a lot of unoccupied bedrooms on the way. The mansion could've easily slept a hundred people,**

"and soon it again." said sadie.

**but instead it felt empty and sad.**

**Down in the Great Room, Khufu the baboon sat on the sofa with a basketball between his legs and a chunk of strange-looking meat in his hands. It was covered in pink feathers. **

"ummm… do I want to know?" asked Connor.

Sadie shuttered and warned him that he did not.

**ESPN was on the television, and Khufu was watching highlights from the games of the night before.**

"**Hey," I said, though I felt a little weird talking to him. "Lakers win?"**

**Khufu looked at me and patted his basketball like he wanted a game. "**_**Agh, agh**_**."**

**He had a pink feather hanging from his chin, and the sight made my stomach do a slow roll.**

"ewww. Bad mental image." Piper shuddered.

"**Um, yeah," I said. "We'll play later, okay?"**

**I could see Sadie and Amos out on the terrace, eating breakfast by the pool. It should've been freezing out there, but the fire pit was blazing, and neither Amos nor Sadie looked cold. I headed their way, then hesitated in front of the statue of Thoth. In the daylight, the bird-headed god didn't look quite so scary. Still, I could swear those beady eyes were watching me expectantly.**

"ya," sadie said. "just our luck. Our gods have the creepiest statues."

I glared at her, but I should have known better because practacily nothing scares sadie. That or dhe does an excellent job of hiding it.

**What had the fiery guy said last night? Something about catching us before we learned our powers. It sounded ridiculous, but for a moment I felt a surge of strength—like the night before when I'd open the front door just by raising my hand. I felt like I could lift anything, even this thirty-foot-tall statue if I wanted to.**

"I remember when you tried." I remanesed. Conor and travis looked completely captivated, so I explained the tai. How carter had been teaching a class and suddenly a longneck appered and tried to attack some of the new trainees. Carter got so mad and got an adrenaline rush. Next thing the trainees knew carter was heaving the statue of Thoth on his shoulders and chucking it at the beast. Un fourtunatley, the longneck was a hologram. A cruel trick played by some of the olders trainees. Surprisingly not sadie. Any way, I explained, we caught the pranksters and gave them a punishment. Two weeks of cleaning Philp's cage. One week of being confined in a room with doughboy! They, nor anybody else, ever pulled that kind of prank again. when I was done carter was flustering form all the attention and asked, begged, me to continue reading.

**In a kind of trance, I stepped forward.**

**Muffin meowed impatiently and butted my foot. The feeling dissolved.**

"**You're right," I told the cat. "Stupid idea."**

**Besides, I could smell breakfast now—French toast, bacon, hot chocolate—**

"breakfasts at the nomes RULE." Sadie said, remembering all the good times.

**and I couldn't blame Muffin for being in a hurry. I followed her out to the terrace.**

"**Ah, Carter," Amos said. "Merry Christmas, my boy. Join us."**

"**About time," Sadie grumbled. "I've been up for ages."**

**But she held my eyes for a moment, like she was thinking the same thing I was: **_**Christmas**_**. We hadn't spent a Christmas morning together since Mom died. I wondered if Sadie remembered how we used to make god's-eye decoration out of yarn and Popsicle sticks.**

"only barley." Sadie said whiskfuly.

**Amos poured himself a cup of coffee. His clothes were similar to those he'd worn the day before, and I had to admit the guy had style.**

**His tailored suit was made of blue wool,**

"not good for magic. Shame on him." I muttered, jokingly.

**he wore a matching fedora, and his hair was freshly braided with dark blue lapis lazuli, one of the stones the Egyptian often used for jewelry. Even his glasses matched. The round lenses were tinted blue. A tenor sax rested on a stand near the fire pit, and I could totally picture him playing out here, serenading the East River.**

**As for Sadie, she was dressed in a white linen pajama outfit like me, but somehow she'd managed to keep her combat boots. She'd probably slept with them on.**

"I did," Sadie admitted.

"awesome." Said nico, while everyone sent them weird looks

**She looked pretty comical with the red-streaked hair and the outfit, but since I wasn't dressed any better, I could hardly make fun of her.**

"you better not. 'cause I have some pretty 'commical' pictures of you in you pokemon boxer shorts when you were four. Curtosy of our almighty dad." Sadie threatened. Carter blushed very noticeably, even on his dark skin.

"**Um... Amos?" I asked. "You didn't have any pet birds, did you? Khufu's eating something with pink feathers."**

"_**Mmm**_**." Amos sipped his coffee. "Sorry if that disturbed you. Khufu's very picky. He only eats foods that end in **_**–o**_**. Doritos, burritos, flamingos."**

**I blinked. "Did you say—"**

"**Carter," Sadie warned. She looked a little queasy, like she'd already had this conversation.**

"I did," Sadie shivered.

"**Don't ask."**

"**Okay," I said. "Not asking."**

"good."

"**Please, Carter, help yourself." Amos waved toward a buffet table piled high with food. "Then we can get started with the explanations."**

**I didn't see any flamingo on the buffet table, which was fine by me, but there was just about everything else. I snagged some pancakes with butter and syrup, some bacon, and a glass of OJ.**

**Then I noticed movement in the corner of my eye. I glanced at the swimming pool. Something long and pale was gliding just under the surface of the water.**

**I almost dropped my plate. "Is that—"**

"**A crocodile," Amos confirmed. "For good luck. He's albino, but please don't mention that. He's sensitive."**

"holy crap. A crocodile. That's awesome. I wanna meet him. Wailed percy.

"**His name is Philip of Macedonia," Sadie informed me.**

**I wasn't sure how Sadie was taking this all so calmly, but I figured if she wasn't freaking out, I shouldn't be either.**

"**That's a long name," I said.**

"**He's a long crocodile," Sadie said. "Oh, and he likes bacon."**

"seriously?" nico chuckled. Sadie nodded vigoursly in conformation.

**To prove her point, she tossed a piece of bacon over her shoulder. Philip lunged out of the water and snapped up the treat. His hide was pure white and his eyes were pink. His mouth was so big, he could've snapped up an entire pig.**

"**He's quite harmless to my friends," Amos assured me.**

"only to friends." I stressed, whising Anubis wasn't sadie's friend.

"**In the old days, no temple would be complete without a lake full of crocodiles. They are powerful magic creatures."**

"**Right," I said. "So the baboon, the crocodile... any other pets I should know about?"**

**Amos thought for a moment. "Visible ones? No, I think that's it."**

"you have INVISIBLE PETS? Nooo fair," complained all the males present.

**I took a seat as far from the pool as possible. Muffin circled my leg and purred.**

**I hoped she had enough sense to stay away from magic crocodiles named Philip.**

"**So, Amos," I said between bites of pancake. "Explanations."**

"**Yes," he agreed. "Where to start..."**

"**Our dad," Sadie suggested. "What happened to him?"**

**Amos took a deep breath. "Julius was attempting to summon a god. Unfortunately, it worked."**

**It was kind of hard to take Amos seriously, talking about summoning gods while he spread butter on a bagel.**

everyone laughed, just picturing amos doing that in a totally serious tone.

"**Any god in particular?" I asked casually. "Or did he just order a generic god?"**

**Sadie kicked me under the table. She was scowling, as if she actually believed what Amos was saying.**

"well maybe I did. Hmph. After all there was a god rubbing up against your leg." I blushed and everyone laughed.

**Amos took a bite of bagel. "There are many Egyptian gods, Carter. But your dad was after one in particular."**

**He looked at me meaningfully.**

"**Osiris," I remembered. "When Dad was standing in front of the Rosetta Stone, he said, 'Osiris, come.' But Osiris is a legend. He's make-believe."**

"**I wish that were true." Amos stared across the East River at the Manhattan skyline, gleaming in the morning sun. "The Ancient Egyptians were not fools, Carter. they built the pyramids. They created the first great nation state. Their civilization lasted thousands of years."**

Some of the greeks looked like they had a different view but kept their mouthes shut.

"**Yeah," I said. "And now they're gone."**

**Amos shook his head. "A legacy that powerful does not disappear. Next to the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans were babies.**

At this point everyonre of the demigods was fuming. Sadie, surprisingly, said something to come them down. "I don't think you guys are babies! Your awesome and great at fighting, just as good as us."

Everyone calmed down. I muttered, "well I know one geek who is definently a baby." Giving a meaningful glance at Apollo. He fumed and sadie scolded me as if she were the god, and I a mortal.

"wow, sadie. You denintaly don't respect the gods now do you?" said Annebeth observantly.

"well, ya. Most of the time they're fighting and complaining, and carter and I are the responsible ones." I didn't do anything, because in retro spect it's true. All the demigods looked astonished as if they were awaiting for me to smite her.

"Egyptian gods don't smite people, like grreks and romans." I explained.

**Our modern nations like Great Britain and America? Blinks of an eye. The very oldest root of civilization, at least of Western civilization, is Egypt. Look at the pyramid on the dollar bill. Look at the Washington Monument—the world's largest Egyptian obelisk. Egypt is still very much alive. And so, unfortunately, are her gods."**

"**Come on," I argued. "I mean... even if I believe there's a real thing called magic. Believing in ancient gods is totally different. You're joking, right?"**

**But as I said it, I thought about the fiery guy in the museum, the way his face had shifted between human and animal. And the statue of Thoth—how its eyes had followed me.**

"staues of thoth are kind of creepy." I agreed.

"**Carter," Amos said, "the Egyptians would not have been stupid enough to believe in imaginary gods. The beings they described in their myths are very, very real. In the old days, the priests of Egypt would call upon these gods to channel their power and perform great feats. That is the origin of what we now call magic. Like many things, magic was first invented by the Egyptians. Each temple had a branch of magicians called the House of Life. Their magicians were famed throughout the ancient world."**

"**And you're an Egyptian magician."**

**Amos nodded. "So was your father. You saw it for yourself last night."**

**I hesitated. It was hard to deny my dad had done some weird stuff at the museum—some stud that looked like magic.**

"**But he's an archaeologist," I said stubbornly.**

"**That's his cover story. You'll remember that he specialized in translating ancient spells, which are very difficult to understand unless you work magic yourself. Our family, the Kane family, has been part of the House of Life almost since the beginning. And your mother's family is almost as ancient."**

"**The Fausts?" I tried to imagine Grandma and Grandpa Faust doing magic, but unless watching rugby on TV and burning cookies was magical, I couldn't see it.**

"oh! Her cookies are _soo_ not magical. She burns every single one of them. If she dosent burn them, they're hard enough to play a game of American game of baseball with." Sadie complained.

"remind me never to accept cookies from your grandma." Nico stated.

"**They had not practiced magic for many generations," Amos admitted. "Not until your mother came along. But yes, a very ancient bloodline."**

**Sadie shook her head in disbelief. "So now Mum was magic, too. Are you joking?"**

"**No jokes," Amos promised. "The two of you... you combine the blood of two ancient families, both of which have a long, complicated history with the gods. You are the most powerful Kane children to be born in many centuries."**

"yeah, that's right! All powerful magican here! Bow down to me!" sadie proclaimed. I chuckled along with everyone else.

"i'm officaly scared of you." Travis said.

"you shoukd be." Grumbled carter.

**I tried to let that sink in. At the moment, I didn't feel powerful. I felt queasy. "You're telling me our parents secretly worshipped animal-headed gods?" I asked.**

"**Not worshipped," Amos corrected. "By the end of the ancient times, Egyptians had learned that their gods were not to be worshipped. They are powerful beings, primeval forces, but they are not divine in the sense one might think of God. They are created entities, like mortals, only much more powerful. We can respect them, fear them, use their power, or even fight them to keep them under control—"**

"_**Fight**_** gods?" Sadie interrupted.**

"**Constantly," Amos assured her. "But we don't worship them. Thoth taught us that."**

**I looked at Sadie for help. The old guy had to be crazy. But Sadie was looking like she believed every word.**

"Hey. It was our _only_ explanation." Sadie defended.

"**So..." I said. "Why did Dad break the Rosetta Stone?"**

"**Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean to break it," Amos said. "That would've horrified him.**

**In fact, I imagine my brethren in London have repaired the damage by now. The curators will soon check their vaults and discover that the Rosetta Stone miraculously survived the explosion."**

"**But it was blown into a million pieces!" I said. "How could they repair it?"**

**Amos picked up a saucer and threw it onto the stone floor. The saucer shattered instantly.**

"**That was **_**to destroy**_**," Amos said. "I could've done it by magic—**_**ha-di**_**—**

Sadie grinned evilly hearing her favorite, most useful spell.

**but it's simpler just to smash it. And now..." Amos held out his hand. "Join. **_**Hi-norm**_**."**

**A blue hieroglyphic symbol burned in the air above his palm.**

**The pieces of the saucer flew into his hand and reassembled like a puzzle, even the smallest bits of dust gluing themselves into place. Amos put the perfect saucer back on the table.**

"**Some trick," I managed. I tried to sound calm about it, but I was thinking of all the odd things that had happened to my dad and me over the years, like those gunmen in the Cairo hotel who'd ended up hanging by their feet from a chandelier. Was it possible my dad had made that happen with some kind of spell?**

"heck yeah." Exclaimed sadie.

Percy muttered to Annebeth, " you know in a weird way, she reminds me of leo." I was the only other one who heard him, with my cat like hearing and all!

**Amos poured milk in the saucer, and put it on the floor. Muffin came padding over. "At any rate, your father would never intentionally damage a relic. He simply didn't realize how much power the Rosetta Stone contained. You see, as Egypt faded, its magic collected and concentrated into its remaining relics. Most of these, of course, are still in Egypt. But you can find some in almost every major museum. A magician can use these artifacts as focal points to work more powerful spells."**

"**I don't get it," I said.**

"I do now." Carter sighed.

**Amos spread his hands. "I'm sorry, Carter. It takes years of study to understand magic, and I'm trying to explain it to you in a single morning. The important thing is, for the past six years your father has been looking for a way to summon Osiris, and last night he thought he had found the right artifact to do it."**

"**Wait, why did he want Osiris?"**

**Sadie gave me a troubled look. "Carter, Osiris was the lord of the dead. Dad was talking about making things right. He was talking about Mum."**

"of course sadie knows everything about stuff related to death." Carter called. Sadie blushed.

**Suddenly the morning seemed colder. The fire pit sputtered in the wind coming off the river.**

"**He wanted to bring Mom back from the dead?" I said.**

"**But that's crazy!"**

**Amos hesitated. "It would've been dangerous. Inadvisable. Foolish. But not crazy. Your father is a powerful magician. If, in fact, that is what he was after, he might have accomplished it, using the power of Osiris."**

**I stared at Sadie. "You're actually buying this?"**

"**You saw the magic at the museum. The fiery bloke. Dad summoned something from the stone."**

"**Yeah," I said, thinking of my dream. "But that wasn't Osiris, was it?"**

"**No," Amos said. "Your father got more than he bargained for. He did release the spirit of Osiris. In fact, I think he successfully joined with the god—"**

"**Joined with?"**

**Amos held up his hand. "Another long conversation.**

"ya. It would have helped if he explained it then and there." Sadie sighed and carter agreed.

**For now, let's just say he drew the power of Osiris into himself. But he never got the chance to use it because, according to what Sadie has told me, it appears that Julius released **_**five**_** gods from the Rosetta Stone. Five gods who were all trapped together."**

**I glanced at Sadie. "You told him everything?"**

"**He's going to help us, Carter."**

"still." Carter said and percy agreed.

**I wasn't quite ready to trust this guy, even if he was our uncle, but I decided I didn't have much choice.**

"**Okay, yeah," I said. "The fiery guy said something like 'You released all five.' What did he mean?"**

**Amos sipped his coffee. The faraway look on his face reminded me of my dad.**

"he is a lot like Julius." I whispered.

"**I don't want to scare you."**

"**Too late."**

"**The gods of Egypt are very dangerous. For the last two thousand years or so, we magicians have spent much of our time binding and banishing them whenever they appear. In fact, our most important law, issued by Chief Lector Iskandar in Roman times, forbids unleashing the gods or using their power. Your father broke that law once before."**

**Sadie's face paled. "Does this have something to do with Mum's death? Cleopatra's Needle in London?"**

"**It has **_**everything**_** to do with that, Sadie. Your parents... well, they thought they were doing something good.**

**They took a terrible risk, and it cost your mother her life. Your father took the blame. He was exiled, I suppose you would say. Banished. He was forced to move around constantly because the House monitored his activities. They feared he would continue his... research. As indeed he did."**

**I thought about the times Dad would look over his shoulder as he copied some ancient inscriptions, or wake me up at three or four in the morning and insist it was time to change hotels, or warn me not to look in his workbag or copy certain pictures from old temple walls—as if our lives depended on it.**

"I guess our lives really did depend on it though." Carter said.

"**Is that why you never came round?" Sadie asked Amos. "Because Dad was banished?"**

"**The House forbade me to see him. I loved Julius. It hurt me to stay away from my brother, from you children. But I could not see you—until last night, when I simply had no choice but to try to help. Julius has been obsessed with finding Osiris for years. He was consumed with grief because of what happened to your mother. When I learned that Julius was about to break the law again, to try to set things right, I had to stop him. A second offense would've meant a death sentence. Unfortunately, I failed. I should've known he was too stubborn."**

**I looked down to my plate. My food had gotten cold. Muffin leaped onto the table and rubbed against my hand. When I didn't object, she started eating my bacon.**

"**Last night at the museum," I said, "the girl with the knife,**

Sadie wiggled her eyebrows at carter who blushed and frowned at the same time.

**the man with the forked beard—they were magicians too? From the House of Life?"**

"desjardes," sadie growled. All the demigods looked extremely confused.

"**Yes," Amos said. "Keeping an eye on your father. You are fortunate they let you go."**

"**The girl wanted to kill us," I remembered.**

"**But the guy with the beard said, **_**not yet**_**."**

"**They don't kill unless it is absolutely necessary," Amos said. "They will wait to see if you are a threat."**

"**Why would we be a threat?" Sadie demanded. "We're children! The summoning wasn't our idea."**

**Amos pushed away his plate. "There is a reason you two were raised separately."**

"**Because the Fausts took Dad to court," I said matter-of-factly. "And Dad lost."**

"**It was much more than that," Amos said. "The House insisted you two be separated. Your father wanted to keep you both, even though he knew how dangerous it was."**

**Sadie looked like she'd been smacked between the eyes. "He did?"**

She blushed. " in ver knew he aactually loved me." Grover smiled reaheringly.

"**Of course. But the House intervened and made sure your grandparents got custody of you, Sadie. If you and Carter were raised together, you could become very powerful. Perhaps you have already sensed changes over the past day."**

**I thought about the surges of strength I'd been feeling, and the way Sadie suddenly seemed to know how to read Ancient Egyptian. Then I thought of something even further back.**

"**Your sixth birthday," I told Sadie.**

"**The cake," she said immediately, the memory passing between us like an electric spark.**

**At Sadie's sixth birthday party, the last one we'd shared as a family, Sadie and I had a huge argument. I don't remember what it was about. I think I wanted to blow out the candles for her.**

"I thinks so." Comfiremed sadie.

**We started yelling. She grabbed my shirt. I pushed her. I remember Dad rushing toward us, trying to intervene, but before he could, Sadie's birthday cake exploded. Icing splattered the walls, our parents, the faces of Sadie's little six-year-old friends. Dad and Mom separated us. They sent me to my room. Later, they said we must've hit the cake by accident as we were fighting, but I knew we hadn't. Something much weirder had made it explode, as if it had responded to our anger. I remembered Sadie crying with a chunk of cake on her forehead, an upside-down candle stuck to the ceiling with its wick still burning, and an adult visitor, one of my parents' friends, his glasses speckled with white frosting.**

"that's awesome!" cired all the males, once again.

**I turned to Amos. "That was you. You were at Sadie's party."**

"**Vanilla icing," he recalled. "Very tasty. But it was clear even then that you two would be difficult to raise in the same household."**

"**And so..." I faltered. "What happens to us now?"**

**I didn't want to admit it, but I couldn't stand the thought of being separated from Sadie again. She wasn't much, but she was all I had.**

"yes. You see people this is how we show out _affection_ twords each other." Carter grumbled.

"**You must be trained properly," Amos said, "whether the House approves or not."**

"**Why wouldn't they approve?" I asked.**

"**I will explain everything, don't worry. But we must start your lessons if we are to stand any chance of finding your father and putting things right. Otherwise the entire world is in danger. If we only knew where—"**

"**Phoenix," I blurted out.**

**Amos stared at me. "What?"**

"**Last night I had... well, not a dream, exactly..." I felt stupid, but I told him what had happened while I slept.**

**Judging from Amos's expression, the news was even worse than I thought.**

"**You're **_**sure**_** he said 'birthday present'?" he asked.**

"**Yeah, but what does that mean?"**

"**And a permanent host," Amos said. "He didn't have one yet?"**

"**Well, that's what the rooster-footed guy said—"**

"**That was a demon," Amos said. "A minion of chaos. And if demons are coming through to the mortal world, we don't have much time. This is bad, very bad."**

"**If you live in Phoenix," I said.**

"**Carter, our enemy won't stop at Phoenix. If he's grown so powerful so fast... What did he say about the storm, exactly?"**

"**He said: 'I will summon the greatest storm ever known.'"**

"ehh. I don't like the sound of that." Whispered piper.

**Amos scowled. "The last time he said that, he created the Sahara. A storm that large could destroy North America, generating enough chaos to give him an almost invincible form.**

"so basically very bad things." percy confirmed.

"**What are you talking about? Who **_**is**_** this guy?"**

**Amos waved away the question. "More important right now: why didn't you sleep with the headrest?"**

**I shrugged. "It was uncomfortable." I looked at Sadie for support. "You didn't use it, did you?"**

**Sadie rolled her eyes. "Well, of course I did. It was **_**obviously**_** there for a reason."**

**Sometimes I really hate my sister.**

**[Ow! That's my foot!]**

Apollo chuckled, apperantly he thought my kittens were amusing.

"**Carter," Amos said, "sleep is dangerous. It's a doorway into the Duat."**

"**Lovely," Sadie grumbled. "Another strange word."**

"I'll just add that to the list." Sadie said as she checked something off an imaginary list.

"**Ah... yes, sorry," Amos said. "The Duat is the world of spirits and magic. It exists beneath the waking world like a vast ocean, with many layers and regions. We submerged just under its surface last night to reach New York, because travel through the Duat is much faster. Carter, your consciousness also passed through its shallowest currents as you slept, which is how you witnessed what happened in Phoenix. Fortunately, you survived that experience. But the deeper you go into the Duat, the more horrible things you encounter, and the more difficult it is to return. There are entire realms filled with demons, palaces where the gods exist in their pure forms, so powerful their mere presence would burn a human to ashes. There are prisons that hold beings of unspeakable evil, and some chasms so deep and chaotic that not even the gods dare explore them. Now that your powers are stirring, you must not sleep without protection, or you leave yourself open to attacks from the Duat or... unintended journeys through it. The headrest is enchanted, to keep your consciousness anchored to your body."**

"**You mean I actually **_**did**_**..." My mouth tasted like metal. "Could he have killed me?"**

**Amos's expression was grave. "The fact that your soul can travel like that means you are progressing faster than I thought. Faster than should be possible. If the Red Lord had noticed you—"**

"**The Red Lord?" Sadie said. "That's the fiery bloke?"**

**Amos rose. "I must find our more. We can't simply wait for him to find you. And if he releases the storm on his birthday, at the height of his powers—"**

"**You mean you're going to Phoenix?" I could barely get the words out. "Amos, that fiery man defeated Dad like his magic was a joke! Now he's got demons, and he's getting stronger, and—you'll be killed!"**

**Amos gave me a dry smile, like he'd already weighed the dangers and didn't need a reminder. His expression reminded me painfully of Dad's. "Don't count your uncle out so quickly, Carter. I've got some magic of my own. Besides, I must see what is happening for myself if we're to have any chance at saving your father and stopping the Red Lord. I'll be quick and careful. Just stay here. Muffin will guard you."**

**I blinked. "The cat will guard us? You can't just leave us here! What about our training?"**

"**When I return," Amos promised. "Don't worry, the mansion is protected. Just do not leave. Do not be tricked into opening the door for anyone. And whatever happens, **_**do not**_** go into the library. I absolutely forbid it. I will be back by sunset."**

"that would just make me want to go into the library." Whinned conner. All the males and saide agreed.

**Before we could protest, Amos walked calmly to the edge of the terrace and jumped.**

"**No!" Sadie screamed. We ran to the railing and looked over. Below was a hundred-foot drop into the East River. There was no sign of Amos. He'd simply vanished.**

**Philip of Macedonia splashed in his pool. Muffin jumped onto the railing and insisted we pet her.**

**We were alone in a strange mansion with a baboon, a crocodile, and a weird cat. And apparently, the entire world was in danger.**

"the usual." Grover said.

**I looked at Sadie. "What do we do now?"**

**She crossed her arms. "Well, that's obvious, isn't it? We explore the library."**

"thank you!" exclaimed connor,

"I knew I liked you." Said percy, grover, and travis, along with apllo. Nico smiled broadly at sadie and she blushed.


	13. Chapter 13

Percy Pov

Annebeth was reading next. She opened the book and her golden-blonde hair slipped from behind her ear. I reached over and gently tucked it back behind her ear. Her stormy grey eyes smiled at me and I smiled back. I looked up, the goofy smile still plastered on my face. I saw Bast, looking at me smirking. Anyway, Annebeth began reading in her beautiful singsong voice. Man, I love that girl, if you haven't noticed!

"**I Drop a Little Man on His Head**,"

**Honestly, Carter is so thick sometimes I can't believe we're related.**

"So I'm guessing Sadie's the one telling this part." Connor muttered. Nico looked at him like, _DUH!_

**I mean when someone says **_**I forbid it**_**, that's a good sign it's worth doing.**

"Yes! That is the best clue!"

**I made for the library straightaway.**

"**Hold on!" Carter cried. "You can't just—"**

"**Brother dear," I said, "Did your soul leave your body again while Amos was talking, or did you actually **_**hear**_** him? Egyptian gods **_**real**_**. Red Lord **_**bad**_**. Red Lord's birthday: very soon, very bad. House of Life: fussy old magicians**

Bast chuckled, "Soooo true."

**Who hate our family because Dad was a bit of a rebel, whom by the way you could take a lesson from. Which leaves us—**_**just**_** us—with Dad missing, an evil god about to destroy the world, and an uncle who just jumped off the building—and I **_**can't**_** actually blame him." I took a breath. [Yes, Carter, I do have to breath occasionally.]**

Everyone laughed except Sadie.

"**Am I missing anything? Oh, yes, I also have a brother who is supposedly quite powerful from an ancient bloodline, blah, blah, et cetera, but is too afraid to visit a library. Now, coming or not?"**

"Let's see. How many times have I followed Sadie into a potentially hazardous place to "protect" her? Never mind, I'm not sure I can count that high." Carter exclaimed. Everyone laughed again.

"Hey the only danger in a _normal_ library is actually learning something!" Sadie defended. All of the boys agreed.

**Carter blinked as if I'd just hit him, which I suppose I had in a way.**

"**I just..." He faltered. "I just think we should be careful."**

**I realized the poor boy was quite scared, which I couldn't hold against him, but it did startle me. Carter was my **_**big**_** brother after all—older, more sophisticated, the one who traveled the world with Dad. Big brothers are the ones who are supposed to pull their punches. Little sisters—well, we should be able to hit as hard as we like, shouldn't we? But I realized that possibly, just possibly, I'd been a bit harsh with him.**

"Sorry carter." Mumbled Sadie.

"Sorry? What was that?" carter stressed.

"OH MY GOSH! Sadie is apologizing to carter. The world is so ending!" Bast squealed.

"**Look," I said. "We need to help Dad, yes? There's got to be some powerful stuff in that library, otherwise Amos wouldn't keep it locked up. You do want to help Dad?"**

**Carter shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah... of course."**

**Well, that was one problem sorted, so we headed for the library. But as soon as Khufu saw what we were up to, he scrambled off the sofa with his basketball and jumped in front of the library doors. Who knew baboons were so speedy? He barked at us, and I have to say baboons have **_**enormous**_** fangs. And they're not any prettier when they've been chewing up exotic pink birds.**

**Carter tried to reason with him.**

"You know, you're a strange person." Grover said to carter.

"What do you say that?" carter asked, slightly offended.

"Well, aren't you supposed to be hosting the god of war? My dad is _nothing _like you! He's violent, and you reason instead of fighting." Clarisse clarified.

"oh." Mumbled carter.

"**Khufu, we're not going to steal anything. We just want—"**

"_**Agh!**_**" Khufu dribbled his basketball angrily.**

"**Carter," I said, "you're not helping. Look here, Khufu. I have... ta-da!" I held up the little yellow box of cereal I'd taken from the buffet table. "Cheerios! Ends with **_**–o.**_

**Yumsies!"**

"**Aghhh!" Khufu grunted, more excited now than angry.**

"**Want it?" I coaxed. "Just take it to the couch and pretend you didn't see us, yes?"**

**I threw the cereal towards the couch, and the baboon lunged after it. He grabbed the box in midair and was so excited, he ran straight up the wall and sat on the fireplace mantel, where he began gingerly picking out Cheerios and eating them on at a time.**

**Carter looked at me with grudging admiration. "How did you—"**

"**Some of us think ahead.**

"Wow. You just bribed a monkey!" I said slowly.

"I know. I'm just awesome like that." Sadie replied while pretending to inspect her nails.

**Now, let's open these doors."**

**That was not so easily done. They were made of thick wood laced with giant steel chains and padlocked. **_**Complete**_** overkill.**

"We could break it." The Stolls chimed in.

**Carter stepped forward. He tried to raise the doors by lifting his hand, which had been quite impressive the night before, only now accomplishing nothing.**

**He shook the chains the old-fashioned way, and then yanked on the padlocks.**

"**No good," he said.**

**Ice needles tingled on the back of my neck. It was almost as if someone—or something—was whispering an idea in my head. "What was that word Amos used at breakfast with the saucer?"**

"**For 'join'?" Carter said. "**_**Hi-nehm**_** or something."**

"Yeah. No. so not that one."

"**No, the other one, for 'destroy'."**

"**Uh, **_**ha-di**_**.**

"I love that spell." Sadie murmured to Nico

**But you'd need to know magic and the hieroglyphics, wouldn't you? And even then—"**

**I raised my hand toward the door. I pointed with two fingers and my thumb—an odd gesture I'd never made before, like a make-believe gun except with the thumb parallel to the ground.**

"_**Ha-di!**_**"**

**Bright gold hieroglyphs burned against the largest padlock.**

**And the doors exploded. Carter hit the floor** **as chains shattered and splinters flew all over the Great Room. When the dust cleared, Carter got up, covered in wood shavings. I seemed to be fine. Muffin circled my feet, mewing contentedly, as if this were all very normal.**

"W-o-w!" all the males exclaimed in unison.

**Carter stared at me. "How exactly—"**

"**Don't know," I admitted. "But the library's open."**

"**Think you overdid it a little? We're going to be in so much trouble—"**

"**We'll just figure out a way to zap the door back, won't we?"**

"**No more zapping, please," Carter said. "That explosion could've killed us."**

"**Oh, do you think if you tried that spell on a person—"**

"Carter glared at Sadie. "Relax. It's not like I would actually do that, to you at least. Unfortunately I love you too much." Sadie soothed.

"**No!" He stepped back nervously.**

**I felt gratified that I could make him squirm, but I tried not to smile.**

"Sadie, you disturb me." Grover said.

"**Let's just explore the library, shall we?"**

**The truth was, I couldn't have **_**ha-di**_**-ed anyone. As soon as I stepped forward, I felt so faint that I almost collapsed.**

**Carter caught me as I stumbled.**

"Ya. Thanks for that."

"**You okay?"**

"**Fine," I managed, though I didn't feel fine. "I'm tired"—my stomach rumbled—"and famished."**

"You just had a humongous breakfast." I said confused.

"**You just ate a huge breakfast."**

**It was true, but I felt as if I hadn't had food in weeks.**

"**Never mind," I told him. "I'll manage."**

**Carter studied skeptically. "Those hieroglyphs you created were golden.**

**Dad and Amos both used blue. Why?"**

"**Maybe everyone has his own color," I suggested.**

"Correct." Bast praised. Annebeth looked like she was soaking in every detail.

"**Maybe you'll get hot pink."**

Everyone burst out laughing at the look on carter's face.

"**Very funny."**

"**Come on, pink wizard," I said. "Inside we go."**

**The library was so amazing, I almost forgot my dizziness. **

"Sadie. Thinks. A library. Is. Amazing. What?" carter teased.

**It was bigger than I'd imagined, a round chamber sunk deep into solid rock, like a giant well. This didn't make sense, as the mansion was sitting on top of a warehouse, but then again nothing else about the place was exactly normal.**

**From the platform where we stood, a staircase descended three stories to the bottom floor. The walls, floor, and domed ceiling were all decorated with multicolored pictures of people, gods, and monsters. I'd seen such illustrations in Dad's books**

"w-o-www." Annebeth sighed. "I want to visit your house."

**(yes, all right, sometimes when I was in the Piccadilly bookshop I'd wander into the Egypt section and sneak a look at Dad's books, just to feel some connection to him, not because I wanted to read them)but the pictures in the books had always been faded and smudged. These in the library looked newly painted, making the entire room a work of art.**

"**It's beautiful," I said.**

"I'm sure it is." Annebeth said longingly.

**A blue starry sky glittered on the ceiling, but it wasn't a solid field of blue. Rather, the sky was painted in a strange swirling pattern. I realized it was shaped like a woman. She lay curled on her side—her body, arms, and legs dark blue and dotted with stars.**

"I've met her." Sadie boasted. Annebeth gaped.

**Below, the library floor was done in a similar way, the green-and-brown earth shaped into a man's body, dotted with forests and hills and cities. A river snaked across his chest.**

"Met him too." Sadie continued.

**The library had no books. Not even bookshelves. Instead, the walls were honeycombed with round cubbyholes, each one holding a sort of plastic cylinder.**

**At each of the four compass points, a ceramic statue stood on a pedestal. The statues were half-size humans wearing kilts and sandals, with glossy black wedge-shaped haircuts and black eyeliner around their eyes.**

**[Carter says the eyeliner stuff is called kohl, as if it matters.]**

**At any rate, one statue held a stylus and scroll. Another held a box. Another held a short, hooked staff. The last was empty-handed.**

"**Sadie." Carter pointed to the center of the room. Sitting on a long stone table was Dad's workbag.**

**Carter started down the stairs, but I grabbed his arm. "Hang on. What about traps?"**

**He frowned. "Traps?"**

"You mean like in an Egyptian tomb?" piper said.

"**Didn't Egyptian tombs have traps?"**

"**Well... sometimes. But this isn't a tomb? Besides, more often they had curses, like the burning curse, the donkey curse—"**

"Ahh. What now?" Nico said.

"**Oh, lovely. That sounds so much better."**

"Exactly what I was thinking." Nico muttered.

**He trotted down the steps, which made me feel quite ridiculous, as I'm usually the one to forge ahead. But I supposed if someone had to get cursed with a burning skin rash or attacked by a magical donkey; it was better Carter than me.**

Sadie blushed.

**We made it to the middle of the room with no excitement. Carter opened the bag. Still no traps or curses. He brought out the strange box Dad had used in the British Museum.**

**It was made of wood and about the right size to hold a loaf of French bread.**

**The lid was decorated much like the library, with gods and monsters and sideways-walking people.**

"**How did the Egyptians move like that?" I wondered. "All sideways with their arms and legs out. It seems quite silly."**

Carter sent Sadie a look that said_ oh gods your sooo stupid sometimes. Obviously they didn't walk like that._ Annebeth joined him in giving Sadie that look.

**Carter gave me one of his **_**God, you're stupid**_** looks.**

"**They didn't walk like that in real life, Sadie."**

"**Well, why are they painted like that, then?"**

"**They thought paintings were like magic. If you painted yourself, you had to show all your arms and legs. Otherwise, in the afterlife you might be reborn without all your pieces."**

"We'll have to compare notes sometime." Annebeth said to carter and he nodded.

"**Then why the sideways faces? They never look straight at you. Doesn't that mean they'll lose the other side of their face?"**

**Carter hesitated. "I think they were afraid the picture would be **_**too**_** human if it was looking right at you. It might try to **_**become**_** you."**

"**So is there anything they **_**weren't**_** afraid of?"**

Everyone chuckled.

"**Little sisters," Carter said. "If they talked too much, the Egyptians threw them to the crocodiles."**

"That is a sad, sad misjudgment." Sadie murmured evilly.

**He had me for a second. I wasn't used to him displaying a sense of humor. Then I punched him. "Just open the bloody box."**

"You know that hurt." Carter replied rubbing his arm.

**The first thing he pulled out was a lump of white gunk.**

"**Wax," Carter pronounced.**

"**Fascinating." I picked up a wooden stylus and a palette with small indentations in its surface for ink, then a few glass jars of the ink itself—black, red, and gold. "And a prehistoric painting set."**

"Hey, it comes in handy once in a while," Julius defended. Bast gave Sadie a look that was clearly exasperated.

**Carter pulled out several lengths of brown twine, a small ebony cat statue, and I thick roll of paper. No, not paper. Papyrus. I remembered Dad explaining how the Egyptians made it from a river plant because they never invented paper. The stuff was so thick and rough; it made me wonder if the poor Egyptians had had to use toilet papyrus.**

"Eeeww. Bad mental image." Connor said scrunching up his face.

"That would suck." Said Travis.

**Is so, no wonder they walked sideways.**

Everyone laughed.

**Finally I pulled out a wax figurine.**

"_**Ew,**_**" I said.**

**He was a tiny man, crudely fashioned, as if the maker had been in a hurry. His arms were crossed over his chest, his mouth was open, and his legs were cut off at the knees. A lock of human hair was wrapped round his waist.**

Almost everyone made gagging noises.

**Muffin jumped on the table and sniffed the little man. She seemed to think him quite interesting.**

"**There's nothing here," Carter said.**

"**What do you want?" I asked. "We've got wax, some toilet papyrus, an ugly statue—"**

"**Something to explain what happened to Dad. How do we get him back? Who was that fiery man**

"I don't think anything like that would be in there." I said.

"Sadie smirked. "You'd be surprised."

**He summoned?"**

**I held up the wax man. "You heard him, warty little troll. Tell us what you know."**

**I was just messing about. But the wax man became soft and warm like flesh. He said, "I answer the call."**

**I screamed and dropped him on his tiny head. Well, can you blame me?**

"_**Ow**_**!" he said.**

**Muffin came over to have a sniff, and the little man started cursing in another language, possibly in Ancient Egyptian. When that didn't work, he screeched in English: "Go away! I'm not a mouse!"**

**I scooped up Muffin and put her on the floor.**

**Carter's face had gone as soft and waxy as the little man's.**

"Doughboy freaked me out." Carter defended.

"Who?" Clarisse asked.

"Explain it later." Carter waved away the question.

"**What **_**are**_** you?" he asked.**

"**I'm a **_**shabti**_**, of course!" The figurine rubbed his dented head. He still looked quite lumpish, only now he was a living lump. "Master calls me Doughboy, though I find the name insulting. You may call me Supreme-Force-Who-Crushes-His-Enemies!"**

Everyone started laughing. This book is pretty funny, I thought.

"ya know, I'm not very scared of him." Grover laughed.

"**All right, Doughboy," I said.**

**He scowled at me, I think, though it was hard to tell with his mashed-up face.**

"_**You**_** weren't supposed to trigger me! Only the master does that."**

"**The master, meaning Dad," I guessed. "**_**Er**_**, Julius Kane?"**

"**That's him," Doughboy grumbled. "Are we done yet? Have I fulfilled my service?"**

**Carter stared at me blankly, but I thought I was beginning to understand.**

"**So, Doughboy," I told the lump. "You were triggered when I picked you up and gave you a direct order: **_**Tell us what you know**_**. Is that correct?"**

**Doughboy crossed his stubby arms. "You're just toying with me. **_**Of course**_** that correct. Only the master is supposed to be able to be able to trigger me, by the way. I don't know how you did it, but he'll blast you to pieces when he finds out."**

"Ya. Pretty sure our own dad wouldn't blast us." Sadie whispered.

**Carter cleared his throat. "Doughboy, the master is our dad, and he's missing. He's been magically sent away somehow and we need your help—"**

"**Master is gone?" Doughboy smiled so widely, I thought he wax face would split open.**

"**Free at last! See you, suckers!"**

**He lunged for the end of the table but forgot he had no feet. He landed on his face, and then began crawling toward the edge, dragging himself with his hands. "Free! Free!"**

"That's just sad.' I said.

**He fell off the table and onto the floor with a thud, but that didn't seem to discourage him. "Free! Free!"**

"He's a determined little thing." Annebeth whispered to me.

**He made it another centimeter or two before I picked him up and threw him in Dad's magic box. Doughboy tried to get out, but the box was just tall enough that he couldn't reach the rim. I wondered if it had been designed that way.**

"probably." Piper guessed.

"**Trapped!" he wailed. "Trapped!"**

"**Oh, shut up," I told him. "**_**I'm**_** the mistress now. And you'll answer my questions."**

**Carter raised his eyebrow.**

"**How come **_**you**_** get to be in charge?"**

"**Because I was smart enough to activate him."**

"**You were just joking around!"**

**I ignored my brother, which is one of my many talents.**

"Oh, yes. One of my _many t_alents. I has come in handy a lot." Sadie smirked.

"**Now, Doughboy, first off, what's a **_**shabti**_**?"**

"**Will you let me out of the box if I tell you?"**

"**You **_**have**_** to tell me," I pointed out. "And no, I won't."**

**He sighed. "**_**Shabti**_** means **_**answerer**_**, as even the stupidest slave could tell you."**

"Sorry. Fresh out of stupid slaves." Carter muttered.

**Carter snapped his fingers. "I remember now! The Egyptians made models out a wax or clay—servants to do every kind of job they could imagine in the afterlife. They were supposed to come to life when their master called, so the deceased person could, like, kick back and relax and let the **_**shabti**_** do all his work for eternity."**

"cool." Travis said, only slightly impressed.

"**First," Doughboy snipped, "that is typical of humans! Lazing around while we do all the work. Second, afterlife work is only **_**one**_** function of **_**shabti**_**. We are also used by magicians would be total incompetents without us. Third, if you know so much, why are you asking me?"**

"**Why did Dad cut off your legs," I wondered, "and leave you with a mouth?"**

"He wouldn't be able to answer our questions then" carter said, matter-o-factly.

"**I—" Doughboy clapped his little hands over his mouth. "Oh, very funny. Threaten the wax statue. Big bully! He cut my legs off so I wouldn't run away or come to life in perfect form and try to kill him, naturally. Magicians are very mean. They maim statues to control them. They are afraid of us!"**

"**Would you come to life and try to kill him, had he made you perfectly?"**

"**Probably," Doughboy admitted. "Are we done?"**

"well that's slightly disturbing." Piper commented.

"**Not by half," I said. "What happened to our dad?"**

**Doughboy shrugged. "How should I know? But I see his wand and staff aren't in the box."**

"**No," Carter said. "The staff—the thing that turned into a snake—it got incinerated. And the wand... is that the boomerang thing?"**

"**The **_**boomerang thing**_**?"**

"So, basically everyone knew what it was except us." Sadie said.

**Doughboy said. "Gods of Eternal Egypt, you're dense. Of course that's his wand."**

"**It got shattered," I said.**

"**Tell me how," Doughboy demanded.**

**Carter told him the story. I wasn't sure that was the best idea, but I supposed a ten-centimeter-tall statue couldn't do us **_**that**_** much harm.**

"**This is wonderful!" Doughboy cried.**

"**Why?" I asked. "Is Dad still alive?"**

"**No!" Doughboy said. "He's almost certainly dead. The five gods of the Demon Days released? Wonderful! And anyone who duels with the Red Lord—"**

"**Wait," I said. "I order you to tell me what happened."**

"**Ha!" Doughboy said. "I only have to tell you what I **_**know**_**. Making educated guesses is a completely different task. I declare my service fulfilled!"**

"Stupid loop hole." Carter grumbled.

**With that, he turned back to lifeless wax.**

"**Wait!" I picked him up again and shook him. "Tell me your educated guesses!"**

**Nothing happened.**

"**Maybe he's got a timer," Carter said. "Like only once a day. Or maybe you broke him."**

"**Carter, make a **_**helpful**_** suggestion! What do we do now?"**

**He looked at the four ceramic statues on their pedestals. "Maybe—"**

"**Other **_**shabti**_**?"**

"**Worth a shot."**

**If the statues were **_**answerers**_**, they weren't very good at it. We tried holding them while giving them orders, though they were quite heavy. We tried pointing at them and shouting. We tried asking nicely. They gave us no answers at all.**

"Well at least you tried different tactics." I said reasonably.

**I grew so frustrated I wanted to **_**ha-di**_** them into a million pieces, but I was still so hungry and tired, I had a feeling that spell would not be good for my health.**

"Wise choice." Bast said.

**Finally we decided to check the cubbyholes round the walls. The plastic cylinders were the kind you might find at a drive-through bank—the kind that shoot up and down the pneumatic tubes. Inside each case was a papyrus scroll. Some looked new. Some looked a thousand of years old. Each canister was labeled in hieroglyphs and (fortunately) in English.**

"_**The Book of the Heavenly Cow**_**,"**

I laughed, I simply couldn't' stifle it.

**Carter read on one. "What kind of name is that? What've you got, **_**The Heavenly Badger**_**?"**

"**No," I said. "**_**The Book of Slaying Apophis**_**."**

"Oh frick. I forgot we had that scroll." Carter exclaimed while face palming.

**Muffin meowed in the corner. When I looked over, her tail was puffed up.**

"**What's wrong with her?" I asked.**

"**Apophis was a giant snake monster," Carter muttered. "He was bad news."**

"Very bad news!" all the Egyptians yelled.

**Muffin turned and raced up the stairs, back into the Great Room. Cats. No accounting for them.**

Bast glared angrily at Sadie. If a goddess glared at me I would have been pretty scared, but not Sadie. She smiled angelically and looked away.

**Carter opened another scroll. "Sadie, look at this."**

**He'd found a papyrus that was quite long, and most of the text on it seemed to be lines of hieroglyphs.**

"**Can you read any of this?" Carter asked.**

**I frowned at the writing, and the odd thing was, I **_**couldn't**_** read it—except for one line at the top. "Only that bit where the title should be. It says... **_**Blood of the Great House**_**. What does that mean?"**

"**Great house," Carter mused. "What do the words sound like in Egyptian?"**

"**Per-roh. Oh, its **_**pharaoh**_**, isn't it? But I thought a pharaoh was a king?"**

"**It is," Carter said. "The word literally means 'great house,' like the king's mansion. Sort of like referring to the president as 'the White House.' So here it probably means more like **_**Blood of the Pharaohs**_**, all of them, the whole lineage of all the dynasties, not just one guy."**

"**So why do I care about the pharaohs' blood, and why can't I read any of the rest?"**

Bast looked at Sadie, and Sadie said, "hey! I didn't know then!"

**Carter stared at the lines. Suddenly his eyes widened. "They're names. Look, they're all written inside cartouches."**

"**Excuse me?" I asked, because **_**cartouche**_** sounded like a rather rude word, and I pride myself on knowing those.**

W-o-w. She reminds me of Thalia. A lot!

"**The circles," Carter explained. "They symbolize magic ropes. They're supposed to protect the holder of the name from evil magic." He eyed me. "And possibly also from other magicians reading their names."**

"**Oh, you're mental," I said. But I looked at the lines, and saw what he meant. All the other words were protected by cartouches, and I couldn't make sense of them.**

"**Sadie," Carter said his voice urgent. He pointed to a cartouche at the very end of the list—the last entry in what looked to be a catalogue of thousands.**

**Inside the circle were two simple symbols, a basket and a wave.**

"That's us." Carter beamed.

"**KN," Carter announced. "I know this one. It's our name, KANE."**

"**Missing a few letters, isn't it?"**

**Carter shook his head. "Egyptians usually didn't write vowels. Only consonants. You have to figure out the vowel sounds from context."**

"**They really **_**were**_** nutters. So that could be KON or IKON or KNEE or AKNE."**

"You just called yourself a nutter." Connor said between laughs.

"**It could be," Carter agreed. "But it's our name, Kane. I asked Dad to write it for me in hieroglyphs once, and that's how he did it. But why are we in this list? And what is 'blood of the pharaohs'?"**

**That icy tingle started on the back of my neck. I remembered what Amos had said, about both sides of our family being very ancient. Carter's eyes met mine, and judging from his expression, he was having the same thought.**

"**There's no way," I protested.**

"**Must be some kind of joke," he agreed. "Nobody keeps family records that far back."**

**I swallowed my throat suddenly very dry. So many odd things had happened to us in the last day, but it was only when I saw our name in that book that I finally began to believe all this mad Egyptian stuff was real. Gods, magicians, monsters... and our family were tied into it.**

**Ever since breakfast, when it occurred to me that Dad had been trying to bring Mum back from the dead, a horrible emotion had been trying to take hold of me.**

**And it wasn't dread. Yes, the whole idea was creepy, **_**much**_** creepier than the shrine my grandparents kept in the hall cupboard to my dead mother. And yes, I told you I try not to live in the past and nothing could change the fact that my mum was gone. But I'm a liar.**

"We know you are." Carter teased, trying to ease the tension.

**The truth was, I'd had one dream ever since I was six: to see my mum again. To actually get to know her, talk to her, go shopping, do **_**anything**_**. Just be with her once so I could have a better memory to hold on to.**

Nico nodded sadly in agreement and reached for Sadie's hand. She grasped his hand tightly.

**The feeling I was trying to shake was **_**hope**_**. I knew I was setting myself up for colossal hurt. But if it really **_**were**_** possible to bring her back, then I would've blown up any number of Rosetta Stones to make it happen.**

"**Let's keep looking," I said.**

**After a few more minutes, I found a picture of some of animal-headed gods, five in a row, with a starry woman figure arching over them protectively like an umbrella. Dad had released five gods. **_**Hmm**_**.**

"See carter, you're not the_only _smart one." Sadie said till holding Nico's hand.

"**Carter," I called. "What's this, then?"**

**He came to have a look and his eyes lit up.**

"**That's it!" he announced. "These five... and up here, their mother, Nut."**

**I laughed. "A goddess named Nut? Is her last name Case?"**

All the males in the room grinned at Sadie.

"Sadie, you should, like, come back to camp half-blood after all this is over." Connor said.

"You all should." Annebeth said, still wanting to compare notes with Bast and carter.

The Kane's readily agreed.

"**Very funny," Carter said. "She was the goddess of the sky."**

**He pointed to the painted ceiling—the lady with the blue star-spangled skin, same as in the scroll.**

"**So what about her?" I asked.**

**Carter knit his eyebrows. "Something about the Demon Days. It had to do with the birth of these five gods, but it's been a long time since Dad told me the story. This whole scroll is written in hieratic, I think. That's like hieroglyph cursive. Can you read it?"**

**I shook my head. Apparently, my particular brand of insanity only applied to regular hieroglyphs.**

"**I wish I could find the story in English," Carter said.**

**Just then there was a cracking noise behind us. The empty-handed clay statue hopped off his pedestal and marched towards us. Carter and I scrambled to get out of his way, but he walked straight past us, grabbed a cylinder from its cubbyhole and brought it to Carter.**

"**It's a retrieval **_**shabti**_**," I said. "A clay librarian!"**

**Carter swallowed nervously**

"Awesome. You can have statues do your bidding." Connor crowed.

"I suggest having it get you a sandwich." Nico smirked.

**And took the cylinder. "**_**Um**_**... thanks."**

**The statue marched back to his pedestal, jumped on, and hardened again into regular clay.**

"**I wonder..." I faced the **_**shabti**_**. "Sandwich and chips, please!" **

Nico smiled at Sadie.

**Sadly, none of the statues jumped down to serve me. Perhaps food wasn't allowed in the library.**

"It's the same with all libraries." I grumbled.

**Carter uncapped the cylinder and unrolled the papyrus. He sighed in relief. "This version is in English."**

**As he scanned the text, his frown got deeper.**

"**You don't look happy," I noticed.**

"**Because I remember the story now. The five gods... if Dad really released them, it isn't good news."**

"isis did not like that." Sadie grumbled.

"Nor did hourus." Carter agreed.

"Shut up!"both the Kanes yelled. I'm really glad I don't have a god in _my_ head.

"**Hang on," I said. "Start from the beginning."**

**Carter took a shaky breath. "Okay. So the sky goddess, Nut, was married to the earth god, Geb."**

"**That would be this chap on the floor?" I tapped my foot on the big green man with the river and hills and forests all over his body.**

"**Right," Carter said. "Anyway, Geb and Nut wanted to have kids, but the king of the gods, Ra—he was the sun god—heard this bad prophecy that a child of Nut—"**

Everyone snickered.

"**Child of Nut," I snickered. "Sorry, go on."**

"—**a child of Geb and Nut would one day replace Ra as king. So when Ra learned that Nut was pregnant,**

**Ra freaked out. He forbade Nut to give birth to her children on any day or night of the year."**

"Well, nut and geb certainly aren't going to ask him to be the godfather now are they?" I said sarcastically.

**I crossed my arms. "So what, she had to stay pregnant**

"That would suck." Piper said.

**Forever? That's awfully mean."**

**Carter shook his head. "Nut figured out a way. She set up a game of dice with the moon god, Khons. Every time Khons lost, he had to give Nut some of his moonlight. He lost so many times, Nut won enough moonlight to create five **_**new**_** days and tag them on the end of the year."**

"You can gamble for moonlight?" I asked.

Sadie and carter nodded grimly as if remembering a horrible instance where they had done just that. They didn't offer any information so I didn't pry.

"**Oh, please," I said. "First, how can you gamble moonlight? And if you did, how could you make extra days out of it?"**

"**It's a story!" Carter protested. "Anyway, the Egyptian calendar had three hundred and sixty days in the year, just like the three hundred and sixty degrees in a circle. Nut created five days and added them to the end of the year—days that were not part of the regular year."**

"**The Demon Days," I guessed. "So the myth explains why a year has three hundred and sixty-five days. And I suppose she had her children—"**

"**During those five days," Carter agreed. "One kid per day."**

"**Again, how do you have five children in a row, each on a different day?"**

"They're gods. They can do stuff like that." Grover said.

"**They're gods," Carter said. "They can do stuff like that."**

"Ooh. You guys are thinking a like." Sadie said pointing her finger with her free hand.

"**Makes as much sense as the name Nut. But please, go on."**

"**So when Ra found out, he was furious, but it was too late. The children were already born. Their names were Osiris—"**

"**The one Dad was after."**

"**Then Horus, Set, Isis, and, um..." Carter consulted his scroll. "Nephthys. I always forget that one."**

"Bet you don't forget her now, do you?" Sadie teased "What" Connor said.

"It will be explained later." Sadie replied still waggling her eyebrows at carter.

"**And the fiery man** **in the museum said, **_**you have released all five**_**."**

"**Exactly. What if they were imprisoned together and Dad didn't realize it? They were born together, so maybe they had to be summoned back into the world together. The thing is, one of these guys, Set, was a really bad dude. Like, the villain of Egyptian mythology. The god of evil and chaos and desert storms."**

"Not anymore he's not!" Sadie boasted triumphantly.

**I shivered. "Did he perhaps have something to do with fire?"**

**Carter pointed to one of the figures in the picture. The god had an animal head, but I couldn't make out which sort of animal: Dog? Anteater? Evil bunny rabbit?**

Everyone snickered.

**Whichever it was, his hair and his clothes were bright red.**

"**The Red Lord," I said.**

"**Sadie, there's more," Carter said. "Those five days—the Demon Days—were bad luck in Ancient Egypt. You had to be careful, wear good luck charms, and not do anything important or dangerous on those days. And in the British Museum, Dad told Set: **_**They'll stop you before the Demon Days are over**_**."**

"**Surely you don't think he meant **_**us**_**," I said. "**_**We're**_** supposed to stop this Set character?"**

**Carter nodded. "And if the last five days of **_**our**_** calendar year still count as the Egyptian Demon Days—they'd start on December 27, the day after tomorrow."**

"December is just a bad month." I commented.

**The **_**shabti**_** seemed to be staring at me expectantly, but I had not the slightest idea what to do. Demon Days and evil bunny gods—if I heard **_**one**_** more impossible thing, my head would explode.**

**And the worst of it? The little insistent voice in the back of my head saying: **_**It's not impossible. To save Dad, we must defeat Set.**_

**As if that had been on my to-do list for Christmas holidays. See Dad—check. Develop strange powers—check. Defeat an evil god of chaos—check. The whole idea was mad!**

"Well, when you say it like that….." Bast trailed off.

**Suddenly there was a loud crash, as if someone had broken in the Great Room. Khufu began barking **

"Baboons can bark?" piper asked. Sadie nodded.

**In alarm.**

**Carter and I locked eyes. Then we ran for the stairs.**

"finished." Annebeth proclaimed, just as a loud crash echoed in the room. Screeching and hollering echoed down the hall.

Bottom of Form


	14. Chapter 14

Travis POV

"What the heck sound?" I yelled.

All of the other demigods started looking around wildly, and Apollo just looked plain confused.

Sadie smiled at Carter, which I decided to take as a bad sign. "I think I know what that _mysterious _sound is!" smirked Sadie, letting go of Nico's hand.

She and Carter jumped up and bounded down the hall towards the sound

"I seriously hope it's not some grimy monster!" cried piper as she followed them down the hall with the rest of us not far behind.

Near the end of the hallway the door to my room was swinging open and there were weird clunking noises coming from the room. Connor and I rushed in to see what was up.

Let me just say my eyes will never un-see that image. In my room was an extremely smelly baboon, with a multi-colored but. Kufu, at least I assumed it was the Kanes' baboon, was sitting in one of my drawers with a pair of my underwear positioned on his head.

As quickly as I could I tried to snatch the underwear off of his furry head before the others showed up.

Needless to say it ended with my in a game of tug-of-war with a baboon as everyone else entered the room. I. will. Never. Live. That. Down! EVER!

After about five minutes, during which piper was rolling on the floor laughing, Sadie, Nico, Carter, Percy, Annebeth, and Grover were having a laughing fit, and Clarisse and Connor were both gasping for breath [Bast had collapsed on to Apollo, but he didn't seem to mind!], Bast stepped forward to "speak" with Kufu. [Which I didn't even know was possible!]

"He says he was supposed to deliver a message to Carter, from Amos and Zia." She smirked and carter blushed but asked, "Wha-what's the message?"

She spoke with him again, "ugg- urgh. Hmph-grrg."

"He says that Zia and Amos want you to call them at your earliest convenience. There," she paused. "Is some news on Setne."

"who in Hades is Setne?" asked percy.

Sadie, Carter, and Bast all shared a grim look, "it's a really long story that we don't have time for. We'll explain later." Carter muttered in a distracted way.

Percy didn't seem satisfied but, suprisingly, let the subject go.

Carter spoke up again, "if you don't mind can we go get through one more chapter so I can go and call… Amos…"

Bast smiled and Sadie smirked. "Anything for you your _highness._"

Just as the rest of the demigods I was lost, but, never the less we all went back to the main room to start reading.

I was designated to read next so I found myself picking up the heavy book and flipping open to the next chapter.

"**Muffin Plays with Knives," **I began.

**Our baboon was going completely sky goddess—which is to say, **_**nuts**_**.**

**He swung from column to column, bouncing along the balconies, overturning pots and statues. Then he ran back to the terrace windows, stared outside for a moment, and proceeded to go berserk again.**

**Muffin was also at the window. She crouched on all fours with her tail twitching as if she were stalking a bird.**

"Well, something's obviously up." Stated percy.

"**Perhaps it's just a passing flamingo," I suggested hopefully, but I'm not sure Carter could hear me over the screaming baboon.**

We all chuckled. I was actually enjoying this book. Uh, really glad I didn't say that allowed, Connor and Annebeth would never let me live that down!

**We ran to the glass doors. At first I didn't see any problem. Then water exploded from the pool, and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. Two enormous creatures, most definitely not flamingos, were thrashing about with our crocodile, Philip of Macedonia.**

"They better not hurt that crocodile, he is a creature of nature!" cried Grover and I just looked at him weirdly.

**I couldn't make out what they were, only that they were fighting Philip two against one.**

"aww, poor thing! He's out numbered." Sympathized Piper.

**They disappeared under the boiling water, and Khufu ran screaming through the Great Room again, bonking himself on the head with his empty Cheerios box, which I must say was not particularly helpful.**

"I'll say!" yelled carter.

"**Longnecks," Carter said incredulously. "Sadie, did you **_**see**_** those things?"**

"Longnecks are those things the fiery dude was talking about, right?" asked Nico.

Bast and Sadienodded.

Clarisse pumped his fist in the air. "Oh yeah, baby! Finally, some action!"

**I couldn't find an answer. Then one of the creatures was thrown out of the pool. It slammed into the doors right in front of us, and I jumped back in alarm. On the other side of the glass was the most terrifying animal I'd ever seen. Its body was like a leopard's—lean and sinewy, with golden spotted fur—but its neck was completely wrong. It was green and scaly and at least as long s the rest of its body. It had a cat's head, but no normal cat's. When it turned its glowing red eyes toward us, it howled, showing a forked tongue and fangs dripping with green venom.**

"Oh, that's disgusting!" yelled Annebeth.

**I realized my legs were shaking and I was making a very undignified whimpering sound.**

"no one had better repeat that," Sadie growled and we all nodded in agreement. Honestly, the girl scared me and brought back some_very_ unpleasant memories of an encounter with a freaky scary daughter of Ares!

**The cat-serpent jumped back into the pool to joins its companion in beating up Philip, who spun and snapped but seemed unable to hurt his attackers.**

"**We have to help Philip!" I cried. "He'll be killed!"**

Grover nodded in approval**.**

**I reached for the door handle, but Muffin growled at me.**

**Carter said, "Sadie, no! You heard Amos. We can't open the doors for any reason. The house is protected by magic. Philip will have to beat them on his own."**

"**But what if he can't? Philip!"**

**The old crocodile turned. For a second his pink reptilian eye focused on me as if he could sense my concern.**

"Probably could," stated Grover.

**Then the cat-snakes bit at his underbelly and Philip rose up so that only the tip of his tail still touched the water. His body began to glow. A low hum filled the air, like an airplane engine starting up. When Philip came down, he slammed into the terrace with all his might.**

**The entire house shook. Cracks appeared in the concrete terrace outside, and the swimming pool split right down the middle as the far end crumbled into empty space.**

"Whoa! Sweet!" yelled an enthusiastic Clarisse.

"**No!" I cried.**

**But the edge of the terrace ripped free, plunging Philip and the monsters straight into the East River.**

"oh my Gods," wailed Grover.

**My whole body began to tremble. "He sacrificed himself. He killed the monsters."**

"**Sadie..." Carter's voice was faint. "What if he didn't? What if they come back?"**

"**Don't say that!"**

"**I—I recognized them, Sadie. Those creatures. Come on."**

"**Where?" I demanded, but he ran straight back to the library.**

**Carter marched up the **_**shabti**_** who'd helped us before. "Bring me the... **_**gah**_**, what's it called?"**

"**What?" I asked.**

"**Something Dad showed. It's a big stone plate or something. Had a picture of the first pharaoh, the guy who untied Upper and Lower Egypt into one kingdom. His name..." His eyes lit up. "Narmer! Bring me the Narmer Plate!"**

**Nothing happened.**

"Oh, you mean the Narmer Palette," corrected Annebeth. Carter nodded.

"**No," Carter decided. "Not a plate. It was... one of those things that holds paint. A palette. Bring me the Narmer Palette!"**

**The empty-handed **_**shabti**_** didn't move, but across the room, the statue with the little hook came to life. He jumped off his pedestal and disappeared in a cloud of dust. A heartbeat later, he reappeared on the table. At his feet was a wedge of flat gray stone, shaped like a shield and about as long as my forearm.**

"**No!" Carter protested. "I meant a **_**picture**_** of it!**

"Oh my Gods! You got to see the actuall Narmer Palette! Awesome!" she crowed.

**Oh great, I think this is the **_**real**_** artifact. The **_**shabti**_** must've stolen it from the Cairo Museum. We've got to return—"**

"**Hang on," I said. "We might as well have a look."**

**The surface of the stone was craved with the picture of a man smashing another man in the face with what looked like a spoon. **

"Really Carter? I would expect such a thought from Sadie, but from you?" Bast tsked.

"Hey!" yelled sadie.

"**That's Narmer with the spoon," I guessed. "Angry because the other bloke stole his breakfast cereal?"**

"Right on cue," muttered Bast.

Connor and I just laughed.

**Carter shook his head. "He's conquering his enemies and uniting Egypt. See his hat? That's the crown of Lower Egypt, before the two countries untied."**

"**The bit that looks like a bowling pin?"**

"**You're impossible," Carter grumbled.**

"Thank you, thank you!" she laughed as she began to make sweeping bows.

"**He looks like Dad, doesn't he?"**

"**Sadie, be serious!"**

"**I **_**am**_** serious. Look at his profile."**

**Carter decided to ignore me. He examined the stone like he was afraid to touch it. "I need to see the back but I don't want to turn it over. We might damage—"**

**I grabbed the stone and flipped it over.**

"Oh my gods, you could have smashed it!" wailed Annebeth.

Percy and Sadie high fived, "I would have done the same thing," he stated.

"**Sadie! You could've broken it!"**

"**That's what mend spells are for, yes?"**

**We examined the back of the stone, and I had to admit I was impressed by Carter's memory.**

"mmhhm," carter mumbled.

**Two cat-snake monsters stood in the center of the palette, their necks entwined. On either side, Egyptian men with ropes were trying to capture the creatures.**

"**They're called serpopards," Carter said. "Serpent leopards."**

"**Fascinating," I said. "But what **_**are**_** sepopards?"**

"**No one knows exactly. Dad thought they were creatures of chaos—very bad news, and they've been around forever. This stone is one of the oldest artifacts from Egypt. Those pictures were carved five thousand years ago."**

"**So why are five-thousand-year-old monsters attacking our house?"**

"I often ask myself the same question," Annebeth growled and the rest of us nodded in agreement.

"**Last night, in Phoenix, the fiery man ordered his servants to capture us. He said to send the longnecks first."**

**I had a metallic taste in my mouth, and I wished I hadn't chewed my last piece of gum.**

"**Well... good thing they're at the bottom of the East River."**

**Just then Khufu rushed into the library, screaming and slapping his head.**

"It's never that easy," I muttered.

"**Suppose I shouldn't have said that," I muttered.**

"no duh," Connor said.

**Carter told the **_**shabti**_** to return the Narmer Palette, and both statue and stone disappeared. Then we followed the baboon upstairs.**

**The serpopards were back, their fur wet and slimy from the river, and they weren't happy. They prowled the broken ledge of the terrace, their snake necks whipping round as they sniffed the doors, looking for a way in. They spit poison that steamed and bubbled on the glass. Their forked tongues darted in and out.**

"Cut their heads off!" yelled Clarisse furiously.

"_**Agh, agh!**_**" Khufu picked up Muffin, who was sitting on the sofa, and offered me the cat.**

"**I really don't think that will help," I told him.**

"**AGH!" Khufu insisted.**

**Neither **_**Muffin**_** nor **_**cat**_** ended in **_**–o**_**, so I guesses Khufu was not trying to offer me a snack, but I didn't know what he was on about. I took the cat just to shut him up.**

Bast gave Sadie a rather rude look.

"_**Mrow?**_**" Muffin looked up at me.**

"**It'll be all right," I promised, trying not to sound scared out of my mind.**

"**The house is protected by magic."**

"**Sadie," Carter said. "They've found something."**

**The serpopards had converged at the left-hand door and were intently sniffing the handle.**

"**Isn't it locked?" I asked.**

**Both monsters smashed their ugly faces against the glass. The door shuddered. Blue hieroglyphs glowed along the doorframe, but their light was faint.**

"**I don't like this," Carter murmured.**

"Well it's not like the whole thing was filling me with fuzzy warm feelings either!" growled Sadie.

**I prayed that the monsters would give up. Or that perhaps Philip of Macedonia would climb back to the terrace (do crocodiles climb?)** **and renew the fight.**

**Instead, the monsters smashed their heads against the glass again. This time a web of cracks appeared. The blue hieroglyphs flickered and died.**

"ohm, you're screwed," someone said.

"**AGH!" Khufu screamed. He waved his hand vaguely at the cat.**

"**Maybe if I try the **_**ha-di**_** spell," I said.**

**Carter shook his head. "You almost fainted after you blew up those doors. I don't want you passing out, or worse."**

**Carter once again surprised me. He tugged a strange sword from one of Amos's wall displays. The blade had an odd crescent-moon curve and looked horribly impractical.**

"**You can't be serious," I said.**

"**Unless—unless you've got a better idea," he stammered, his face beading with perspiration. "It's me, you, and the baboon against **_**those**_** things."**

"boy, that sounds familiar… you know minus the whole baboon part," muttered Percy.

**I'm sure Carter was trying to be brave in his own extremely unbrave way, but he was shaking worse than I was. If anyone was going to pass out, I feared it would be him, and I didn't fancy him doing that while holding a sharp object.**

"awww, my little sis cares about me!" carter yelled smugly.

**Then the serpopards struck a third time, and the door shattered. We back up to the foot of Thoth's statue as the creatures stalked into the Great Room. Khufu threw his basketball, which bounced harmlessly off the first monster's head. Then he launched himself at the serpopard.**

"now another innocent animal is going to die!" grover yelled in horror.

"**Khufu, don't!" Carter yelled.**

**But the baboon sank his fangs into the monster's neck. The serpopard lashed around, trying to bite him. Khufu leaped off, but the monster was quick. It used its head like a bat and smacked poor Khufu in midair, sending him straight through the shattered door, over the broken terrace, and into the void.**

Sadie sniffled while Grover said a quick prayer.

**I wanted to sob, but there wasn't time. The serpopards came toward us. We couldn't outrun them. Carter raised his sword. I pointes my hand at the first monster and tried to speak the **_**ha-di**_** spell, but my voice stuck in my throat.**

"_**Mrow!**_**" Muffin said, more insistently. Why was the cat still nested in my arm and not running away in terror?**

"Something's up with that cat," insisted Nico.

**Then I remembered something Amos had said: **_**Muffin will protect you**_**. Was that what Khufu had been trying to remind me? It seemed impossible, but I stammered, "M-muffin, I order you to protect us."**

**I tossed her on the floor. Just for a moment, the silver pendant on her collar seemed to gleam. Then the cat arched her back leisurely, sat down, and began licking a front paw. Well, really, what was I expecting—heroics?**

We all uneasily laughed.

**The two red-eyed monsters bared their fangs. They raised their heads and prepared to strike—and an explosion of dry air blasted through the room. It was so powerful, it knocked Carter and me to the floor. The serpopards stumbled and back away.**

"Excuse you," muttered Apollo as if he were trying to break the silence. Bast just glared at him evilly.

**I staggered to my feet and realized that the center of the blast had been **_**Muffin**_**. My cat was no longer there. In her place was a woman—small and lithe like a gymnast. Her jet-black hair was tied in a ponytail. She wore a skintight leopard-skin jumpsuit and Muffin's pendant around her neck.**

"Bu-bu-but… that's you! You were in the…. You were like in the form of a cat?" stuttered Annebeth as she stared at Bast with orb like eyes**.**

"Yes child, the book will explain it all later."

We were all staring at Bast wide eyed and stunned. Apollo looked especially shocked out.

"Well it does make since when you think about it. I mean she is the goddess of cats, right?" muttered Percy.

Bast only smiled knowingly.

**She turned and grinned at me, and her eyes were still Muffin's—yellow with black feline pupils. "About time," she chided.**

"Seriously!" she laughed.

**The serpopards got over their shock and charged the cat woman. Their heads struck with lightning speed. They should've ripped her in two, but the cat lady leaped straight up, flipping three times, and landed above them, perched on the mantel.**

**She flexed her wrists, and two enormous knives shot from her sleeves into her hands. "**_**A-a-ah**_**, fun!"**

**The monsters charged. She launched herself between them, dancing and dodging with incredible grace,**

**letting them lash at her futilely while she threaded their necks together. When she stepped away, the sepopards were hopelessly intertwined.**

**The more they struggled, the tighter the knots became. They trampled back and forth, knocking over furniture and roaring in frustration.**

"**Poor things," the cat woman purred. "Let me help."**

**Her knives flashed, and the two monsters' heads thudded to the floor at her feet. Their bodies collapsed and dissolved into enormous piles of sand.**

"Remind me _never_ to prank you!" I whispered and Connor bobbed his head in agreement.

"**So much for my playthings," the woman said sadly. "From sand they come, and to sand they return."**

"Wow, so our monster dissolve into dust and yours become sand. Cool." Nico muttered.

**She turned towards us, and the knives shot back into her sleeves. "Carter, Sadie, we should leave. Worse will be coming."**

"AWESOME," yelled Clarisse, now on the edge of her seat. "More action. Whooho!"

I secretly rolled my eyes.

**Carter made a choking sound. "**_**Worse**_**? Who—how—what—"**

"**All in good time." The woman stretched her arms above her head with great satisfaction. "So good to be in human form again! Now, Sadie, can you open us a door through the Duat, please?"**

**I blinked. "Um... no. I mean—I don't know how."**

**The woman narrowed her eyes, clearly disappointed. "Shame. We'll need more power, then. An obelisk."**

"What now?" Percy asked.

"An obelisk is usually a stone pillar with a pyramid like top. They were very popular and important in ancient Egypt." Annebeth lectured.

"Yep! Only they're still very important to magicians can be used portals at certain times." Carter finished.

"Fascinating, just fascinating." I whined sarcastically.

"**But that's in London," I protested.** "**We can't—"**

"**There's a nearer one in Central Park. I try to avoid Manhattan, but this is an emergency. We'll just pop over and open a portal."**

"**A portal to where?" I demanded. "Who are you, and why are you my cat?"**

"Yeah, I think that would be one of my first questions!" Nico laughed,nudging Sadie playfully.

**The woman smiled. "For now, we just want a portal out of danger. As for my name, it's **_**not**_** Muffin, thank you very much. It's—"**

"**Bast," Carter interrupted. "Your pendant—it's the symbol of Bast, goddess of cats. I thought it was just decoration but... that's you, isn't it?"**

"Very good Carter, very good indeed." Bast praised.

"**Very good, Carter," Bast said. "Now come, while we can still make it out of here alive."**

I closed the book with a very serious look on my face and claimed, "End of chapter, my friends."

Carter jumped up and bounded down the hall to his room. "I'm going to call zi- I mean Amos!"

Sadie just giggled and muttered, "poor boy's head over he's for that girls. Love's gross!" but if her wink in Nico's direction was anything to go by, I'd say she didn't find love completely gross!

**~ I have no excuses for taking so long to update so…yeah. Just, thanks to all of theose who reviewed asking me to continue. That's what really got me going.**

**Normally I would be afraid that you guys would kill me but… since you have no idea where I live…. Ha ha ****. Again, really sorry for not updating.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Apollo Pov**

"Well we have to wait for carter to get back to start reading again."

"Yeah, and that's going to take a while." Sadie muttered.

We all just sat there in an awkward silence until Sadie cut in, "so… Bast, Apollo, why do you two always seem to be so agitated with each other?"

Bast began glaring daggers at Sadie, "That matter is not up for discussion, Kitten."

"You know, I've been wondering the exact same thing." Percy said casually.

"Well, kids-"

"We're not kids!" Sadie yelled.

"You are far to use to dealing with laid back Egyptian gods, girl. You're lucky I don't smite you!"

Bast snorted, "Pft! You can act tough all you want, but every single god knows that you find Sadie hilarious! You were exactly like that in your younger days! Horus's shorts, you're still like that now!"

"But, Kitty Cat, I thought that was what you were oh so attracted to. After all we were head over heels for each other!" I smirked.

Bast sat up straighter, appalled. "Yeah, well there were a _lot_ of reasons you were head over heels for me that I won't mention. After all there are younglings in the room."

"Oh snap!" muttered Connor.

Bast and I continued to yell at each other as the demigods and magicians whipped their heads back and forth as if they were watching a tennis match.

Thundered crackled overhead and Bast and I just settled for glaring at each other. I couldn't help but notice the little voice in the back of my head that kept muttering "_have you ever really stopped loving her?"_

I shook my head and grabbed the book to take my turn reading as Carter walked back into the room. I caught a look passed between him and his sister. Something was clearly up. I shook my head again and began to read.

"**We Run from Four Guys in Skirts**,"

"Well, that sounds promising…" chuckled Travis.

**So, yeah. Our cat was a goddess.**

**What else is new?**

**She didn't give us much time to talk about it. She ordered me to the library to grab my dad's magic kit, and when I came back she was arguing with Sadie about Khufu and Philip.**

"**We have to search for them!" Sadie insisted.**

"Agreed!" yelled Grover as he and Sadie air high fived.

"**They'll be fine," said Bast. "However, **_**we**_** will not be, unless we leave now."**

**I raised my hand. "**_**Um**_**, excuse me, Miss Goddess Lady?**

"You don't know how many times I've almost said that!" Percy laughed.

Annebeth rolled her eyes .

**Amos told us the house was—"**

"**Safe?" Bast snorted. "Carter, the defenses were too easily breached. Someone **_**sabotaged**_** them."**

"**What do you mean? Who—"**

"**Only a magician of the House could've done it."**

"**Another magician?" I asked. "Why would another magician want to sabotage Amos's house?"**

"Gee, I can think of lots of reasons!" muttered Bast.

"**Oh, Carter," Bast sighed. "So young, so innocent. Magicians are devious creatures.** **Could be a million reasons why one would backstab another, but we don't have time to discuss it. Now, come on!"**

**She grabbed our arms and led us out the front door. She'd sheathed her knives, but she still had some wicked sharp claws for fingernails that hurt as they dug into my skin.**

Bast smiled as she flexed her claws evilly. I shivered but got back to reading.

**As soon as we stepped outside, the cold wind stung my eyes. We climbed down a long flight of metal stairs into the industrial yard that surrounded the factory.**

**Dad's workbag was heavy on my shoulder. The curved sword I'd strapped across my back felt cold against my thin linen clothes. I'd started to sweat during the serpopard attack, and now my perspiration felt like it was turning to ice.**

"Yum!" piper said sarcastically.

**I looked around for more monsters, but the yard seemed abandoned. Old construction equipment lay in rusting heaps—a bulldozer, a crane with a wrecking ball, a couple of cement mixers. Piles of sheet metal and stacks of crates made a maze of obstacles between the house and the street a few hundred yards away.**

**We were about halfway across the yard when an old gray tomcat stepped in our path. One of his ears was torn. His left eye was swollen shut. Judging from his scars, he'd spent most of his life fighting.**

**Bast crouched and stared at the cat. He looked up at her calmly.**

"**Thank you," Bast said.**

"Whoa! Was that some kind of mind melding communication?" Clarisse asked, amazed.

"You'd be surprised at how many ways animals have to communicate with each other!" Grover butted in knowingly and Annebeth nodded.

**The old tomcat trotted off toward the river.**

"**What was that about?" Sadie asked.**

"**One of my subjects, offering help. He'll spread the news about our predicament. Soon every cat in New York will be on alert."**

"Sweet!" all the boys agreed.

"**He was so battered," Sadie said. "If he's your subject, couldn't you heal him?"**

"**And take away his marks of honor? A cat's battle scars are part of his identity. I couldn't—" Suddenly Bast tensed. She dragged us behind a stack of crates.**

"More monsters?" piper asked, on high alert.

"**What is it?" I whispered.**

**She flexed her wrists and her knives slid into her hands. She peeped over the top of the crates, every muscle in her body trembling. I tried to see what she was looking at, but there was nothing except the old wrecking-ball crane.**

**Bast's mouth twitched with excitement. Her eyes were fixed on the huge metal ball. I'd seen kittens look like that when they stalked catnip toy mice, or pieces of string, or rubber balls... Balls? No. Bast was an ancient goddess. Surely she wouldn't—**

"Oh but she would!" Sadie groaned.

"**This could be it." She shifted her weight. "Stay very **_**very**_** still."**

"**There's no one there," Sadie hissed.**

**I started to say, "**_**Um**_**..."**

**Bast lunged over the crates. She flew thirty feet through the air, knives flashing, and landed on the wrecking ball with such force that she broke the chain. The cat goddess and the huge metal sphere smashed into the dirt and went rolling across the yard.**

"Oh gods!" laughed Percy and Annebeth.

"_**Rowww!**_**" Bast wailed. The wrecking ball rolled straight over her, but she didn't appear hurt. She leaped off and pounced again. Her knives sliced through the metal like wet clay. Within seconds, the wrecking ball was reduced to a mound of scraps.**

**Bast sheathed her blades. "Safe now!"**

**Sadie and I looked at each other.**

"**You saved us from a metal ball," Sadie said.**

I just looked at Bast mockingly and she looked away as if nothing was wrong.

"**You never know," Bast said. "It could've been hostile."**

"Oh yes, very dangerous!" carter mocked.

**Just then a deep **_**boom!**_** shook the ground. I looked back at the mansion. Tendrils of blue fire curled from the top windows.**

"**Come on," Bast said. "Our time is up!"**

**I thought maybe she'd whisk us off by magic, or at least hail a taxi. Instead, Bast borrowed a silver Lexus convertible.**

"You'd be surprised how easy it is to borrow one of those…" piper trailed off.

"**Oh, yes," she purred. "I like this one! Come along, children."**

"Yeah there's a lot of cars I like to! But I don't steal them!" Percy said.

"**But this isn't yours," I pointed out.**

"**My dear, I'm a cat. Everything I **_**see**_** is mine." She touched the ignition and the keyhole sparked. The engine began to purr. [No, Sadie. Not like a cat, like an engine.]**

"Well cats do purr…" Nico trailed off.

"**Bast," I said, "you can't just—"**

**Sadie elbowed me. "We'll work out how to return it later, Carter. Right now we've got an emergency."**

**She pointed back toward the mansion. Blue flames and smoke now billowed from every window. But that wasn't the scary part—coming down the stairs were four men carrying a large box, like an oversize coffin with long handles sticking out at both ends. The box was covered with a black shroud and looked big enough for at least two bodies. The four men wore only kilts and sandals. Their coppery skin glinted in the sun as if made of metal.**

"Hm, two person sized coffin. Sounds highly suspicious." Travis muttered.

"**Oh, that's bad," Bast said. "In the car, please."**

**I decided not to ask questions. Sadie beat me to the shotgun seat so I climbed in back.**

"That's Sadie for you. In the middle of an emergency and Sadie still has time to steal the front seat!" carter joked.

**The four metallic guys with the box were racing across the yard, coming straight for us at an unbelievable speed. Before I even had my seat belt on, Bast hit the gas.**

**We tore through the streets of Brooklyn, weaving insanely through traffic, riding over sidewalks, narrowly missing pedestrians.**

"Sweet!" yelled Clarisse.

**Bast drove with reflexes that were... well, catlike.**

**Any human trying to drive so fast would've had a dozen wrecks, but she got us safely onto the Williamsburg Bridge.**

**I thought for sure we must've lost our pursuers,**

"Never assume you've just managed to lose the monsters." Annebeth said grimly.

**but when I looked back, the four copper men with the black box were weaving in and out of traffic. They appeared to be jogging at a normal pace, but they passed cars that were doing fifty. Their bodies blurred like choppy images in an old movie, as if they were out of sync with the regular stream of time.**

"**What **_**are**_** they?" I asked. "**_**Shabti**_**?"**

"**No, carriers." Bast glances in the rearview mirror. "Summoned straight from the Duat. They'll stop at nothing to find their victims, throw them in the sedan—"**

"**The what?" Sadie interrupted.**

"**The large box," Bast said. "It's a kind of carriage. The carriers capture you, beat you senseless,**

"Well, that sounds enjoyable." I muttered.

**throw you in, and carry you back to their master. They never lose their prey, and they never give up."**

"A persistent bunch, aren't they?" Nico asked.

"**But what do they want us for?"**

"**Trust me," Bast growled, "you don't want to know."**

**I thought about the fiery man last night in Phoenix—how he'd fried one of his servants into a grease spot. I was pretty sure I didn't want to meet him face-to-face again.**

"**Bast," I said, "if you're a goddess, can't you just snap your fingers and disintegrate those guys? Or wave your hand and teleport us away?"**

"**Wouldn't that be nice? But my power in this host is limited."**

"**You mean Muffin?" Sadie asked. "But you're not a cat anymore."**

"**She's still my host, Sadie, my anchor on this side of the Duat—and a very imperfect one. Your call for help allowed me to assume human shape, but that alone takes a great deal of power. Besides, even when I'm in a **_**powerful**_** host, Set's magic is stronger than mine."**

"**Could you please say something that I actually understand?" I pleaded.**

"Take not everyone; this is _the_ Carter Kane admitting he doesn't understand something to do with Egyptian mythology!" Sadie yelled triumphantly.

"**Carter, we don't have time for a full discussion on gods and hosts and the limits of magic! We have to get you to safety."**

**Bast floored the accelerator and shot up the middle of the bridge. The four carriers with the sedan raced after us, blurring the air as they moved, but no cars swerved to avoid them. No one panicked or even looked at them.**

"It's the glamour." Bast commented.

All of the demigods looked quite confused. "That's the Egyptian version of the mist." I added and the all nodded in understanding.

"**How can people not see them?" I said. "Don't they notice four copper men in skirts running up the bridge with a weird black box?"**

**Bast shrugged. "Cats can hear many sounds you can't. Some animals see things in the ultraviolet spectrum that are invisible to humans. Magic is similar. Did you notice the mansion when you first arrived?"**

"**Well... no."**

"**And you are born to magic," Bast said. "Imagine how hard it would be for a regular mortal."**

"**Born to magic?" I remembered what Amos had said about our family being in the House of Life for a long time. "If magic, like, runs in the family, why haven't I ever been able to do it before?"**

**Bast smiled in the mirror. "Your sister understands."**

All eyes turned to Sadie and she flushed beet red.

**Sadie's ears turned red. "No, I don't! I still can't believe you're a **_**goddess**_**. All these years, you've been eating crunchy treats, sleeping on my head—"**

Percy sent Bast a weird look.

"**I made a deal with your father," Bast said. "He let me remain in the world as long as I assumed a minor form, a normal housecat, so I could protect and watch over you. It was the least I could do after—" She stopped abruptly.**

**A horrible thought occurred to me. My stomach fluttered, and it had nothing to do with how fast we were going. "After our mom's death?" I guessed.**

**Bast stared straight ahead out the windowshield.**

"**That's it, isn't it?" I said. "Dad and Mom did some kind of magic ritual at Cleopatra's Needle. Something went wrong. Our mom died and... and they released you?"**

Annebeth leaned forward muttering, "Yes, yes! Finally an explanation."

"**That's not important right now," Bast said. "The point is I agreed to look after Sadie. And I will."**

**She was hiding something.**

Annebeth sat back up, disappointed.

**I was sure of it, but her tone made it clear that the subject was closed.**

"**If you gods are so powerful and helpful," I said, "why does the House of Life forbid magicians from summoning you?"**

**Bast swerved into the fast lane. "Magicians are paranoid.**

Sadie and carter nodded in agreement.

**Your best hope is to stay with me. We'll get as far away as possible from New York. Then we'll get help and challenge Set."**

"**What help?" Sadie asked.**

**Bast raised an eyebrow. "Why, we'll summon more gods, of course."**

"And that's the end of the chapter." I said handing the book to Clarisse.


	16. Chapter 16

**Clarisse Pov**

It was my turn to read, unfortunately, which made it much harder for me to fall asleep. I was just about to read when the Kane boy, Carter, stood up and grabbed his sister's arm.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the reading again but we have an urgent situation at Brooklyn house, that Sadie and I really need to help with. We'll be back as soon as possible. Bast-"

"I'll come too and talk with Amos if he needs my assistance."

Before anyone else could object the three Egyptians exited the room in a hurry.

I groaned, "Well it looks like we have some free time."

* * *

><p><strong>Carter Pov<strong>

We hurried down the corridor and swerved into my room. Sadie was hogging the scying bowl so I settled for just hovering in the back ground, peering over her shoulder.

"A- Amos? Is that you? Can you hear me? Hello!" Sadie yelled.

"Wha- Sadie? Carter? Bast? Is that you? Oh thank the Gods!" Amos whirled around, a relived look plastered on his face.

"What's going on over there?" I asked.

"It's Setne," he reported grimly. "He's sent a herd of monsters to attack Brooklyn house! I need you three to come here ASAP!"

"Yes, well, how are we expected to get there quickly? I don't see any handy Egyptian artifacts just lying around, ready to help us zap open a portal!" Sadie pointed out.

"Hold on," Amos waved his wand somewhere above his head and yelled _Ha-di_!

"Okay, go down this hallway to the very end. Bast you can open the black door at the end. It will lead you to a room full of Egyptian, Greek, and roman artifacts-"

"And this room exists because?" Sadie asked sarcastically.

I gave her a pointed look as Amos continued. "You can use something there to make a sufficient portal. It shouldn't take too long we really just need some more help."

There was an evil sounding roar in the background and someone [it sounded a lot like Jaz] yelled an Egyptian curse word.

"I've got to go! GET HERE SOON!" the connection fizzled out and the scying bowl went blank.

I met Bast's eyes and she sprinted out of the room to tell the others we would be longer than expected. Sadie and I went about checking that we had all of our equipment and decided to meet Bast at the end of the corridor.

She showed up looking even more stressed than before and angrily pressed her hand to the door. It swooshed open and we all rushed inside like a pack of wild animals.

Sadie was drawn towards a powerful looking alter dedicated to Isis with sings of power all over it. "Well it's no obelisk but it'll do," she muttered.

She hurriedly created a portal, drawing on some of Isis's power. We all hurled ourselves in, bracing for the tons of sand that were sure to come our way.

* * *

><p><strong>Annabeth Pov<strong>

I leaned slightly onto Percy's shoulder as he grinned down on me. Honestly, as much as I love his smile I was much too wrapped up in the events of the previous days to fully appreciate it.

"All right, wise girl," Percy started as everyone else was talking quietly around us." What's going on in that brain of yours? Do I even want to know?"

I finally looked up at him, "I'm just… trying to process everything that's happened! I mean, how are you not overwhelmed? A WHOLE NEW DEITY OF GODS, PERCY!"

I looked around the room, noticing that everyone else had quieted down and was looking at me oddly.

"Sorry, I just… ah-"

"Actually Annabeth, I was thinking that I completely agree with you! I couldn't have put it better myself!" Piper broke the silence. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Connor was just about to say something when Bast came sprinting into the room. " Greeks, we will be leaving you…temporarily at least."

"What! Why?" Apollo asked.

Bast glared, "there's an urgent situation at Brooklyn house… an old enemy is causing problems. I'm sure you can all understand."

I was just about to add my two cents in when she continued. "I must go now Greeks, as I have said, this is urgent." She dashed out of the room, her feet rolling softly on the floor.

"Seriously! There's finally some action and I going to miss it!" Clarisse thundered.

Ignoring her Percy spoke up, "What do you think she meant by that? 'An old enemy causing trouble again?'"

Travis and Connor exchanged looks as I spoke up, "Well it obviously means-"I was cut off by Clarisse.

"THERE'S GOING TO BE A FIGHT AT BROOKLYN HOUSE!"

Apollo stood up, "all right, all right! Everyone, calm yourselves. I can see several solutions to this problem we seem to be having here!"

"Yep! We follow the Egyptians!" Travis yelled.

Nico grinned as Connor sneakily added, "Bast never said to stay put!"

With that Nico and Percy jumped up and ran down the hallway in a rush.

"Perseus Jackson, you come back here this instant! Don't you dare leave me behind seaweed brain!" I yelled galloping after him, trailed closely by piper, Clarisse, Apollo, and everyone else.

* * *

><p><strong>Nico Pov <strong>

We all tumbled up into the end room just the….. Odd looking sand portal began to flicker, as if it was closing. We all plummeted into the portal after seconds of hesitation, the portal closing behind us.

Sand.

Lots and lots of sand, everywhere. There was sand in places that there should NEVER be sand!

I stood up, using my tongue to push a pile of sand out of my mouth and shaking myself like a wet dog to get rid of all of the sand. I stood up and looked around.

"What the Hades?" I yelled.

We on the Brooklyn side of the river with the iconic New York skyline visible. There was an old beat up warehouse next to us.

_This is the Brooklyn house we've been hearing so much about?_

I looked it over again and began to see the faint outline of something above the warehouse roof. I looked closer and almost fell back down. There was a gorgeously built mansion sprawling out on top of the warehouse. It must have been covered be the mist…. Or the Egyptian glamour.

I heard Annabeth gasp next to me, "Look at that architecture!"

But the closer I looked the more I noticed the familiar figures of Bast, sadie, and Carter locked in battle with some weird looking Egyptian monsters.

"We need to go help them!" Piper yelled.

"Um, you know that's a great idea, but we don't have our weapons!" Grover pointed out.

Apollo looked around, "okay fine! Just this one time, I'll get you all some weapons." He waved his hands and did some… godly magic. I felt the familiar weight of my sword weighing down my hand.

Percy uncapped riptide and glanced at me. "You ready?"

I nodded and smiled as Clarisse yelled, "Well what are we waiting for? LETS GO!" she let out a fierce battle cry as she took off running towards the fight.

* * *

><p><strong>Kind of a filler chapter I know, but school has started and I wanted to update!<strong>


	17. Chapter 17

PEOPLE OF FANFICTION:

This is an author's note and I am very sorry. No, this story is not being discontinued/ put up for adoption! School's just taking a lot out of me but updates are coming soon, I PROMISE!

This author's note is being posted to express a very serious concern on the Fanfiction site!

One of my very close friends who writes for the Gallagher girls archive received a terrible 2 PARAGRAPH review on one of her stories from an anonymous viewer. In the review this person continued to repeatedly bash her story and literally pick apart every detail of the story.

She still has the email she received when this person posted the review but the actual full review was deleted. {In the full review though the reviewer also proceeded to call her numerous very rude and hurtful names [including cuss words].}

Soon after this incident she received an email from the actual site of fan fiction site. The email said that it was not possible for a story to have so many guest reviews. So apparently she was under suspicion of logging out of her account and reviewing her own stories so that she could have more reviews!

So, I just wanted to get this story out there, and if you took the time to read this, thank you SO much! I just think that people should know that even on a terrific site like fanfiction there are still really rude people and bad things can still happen! So please take this as a warning to all of the authors out there! I sincerely hope this has not/ will not happen to anyone else out there!

Thanks again to all of my followers/ reviews/ people are for some reason still reading my random and unreliably updated stories! You all mean the world to me!


	18. Chapter 18

2ndAN :

So I figured out that it wasn't the fan fiction site that told my friend that it wasn't possible for her to have so many guest reviewers but the same anonymous review!

I misunderstood! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! But it's still really terrible, so watch out there are bad people out there…..


End file.
